Records of Our War
by JumpingTheMoon
Summary: Short stories from some of the lives affected by the legendary struggle. Fluff, smut, action, whatever. Latest: Ch. 12: If this is treason, let's make the most of it.
1. Under a Full Moon

**A/N:** _I have a love-hate relationship with Agarest Senki; I love a lot of the characters and stories, but the gameplay grinds my face into the dust. It seems like kind of a niche thing, too, so I figured it would be nice to add some fanfiction about it on here. I'll write what strikes my inspiration, smut or fluff or action or whatever. The stories will mostly be self-contained, although they all exist in the canon timeline of the game, more or less. They may not be in chronological order, however. It's tough to write fanfiction that can appeal to people who haven't played the game, I don't know how well I did._

_This chapter contains smut. Agarest loves to tease and fanservice and bull around but this particular scene left me strongly annoyed that they pulled the double-trick at the end and had it be something innocuous like physical exercise. Screw that._

* * *

><p><strong>Under A Full Moon<strong>

_Second Generation_

Ladius x Sherufanir

* * *

><p>Now that he was a wanted man, Ladius rarely got to enjoy a day free from his heavy battle armor. He'd crossed half of Graccea laden with his greatsword and gear, even sleeping with his kit in case an emergency came up during the night. Under his burdens, physical and emotional, he could find little rest, insomnia keeping him up at all hours. Often, he chose to stand watch over the camp with the sentries. A little idle chatter with men loyal to him did his soul good. It was a nice distraction from weightier matters, as well.<p>

Recently, however, there had been little need for a guard. Within days of the dramatic battle that had scoured the legions of darkness and freed the south coast from its plague, people had started to welcome his army in their towns. Instead of avoiding the common paths, the deserters had enjoyed warm beds for the first time in over a month. Full of good food and drink, most of his men had turned in for some well-deserved rest, leaving their commander to sit up during the night.

He was contemplating a few sleeping pills on the veranda of the inn when he noticed movement in the distance. A humanoid figure, sporting prominent ears and a bushy tail, was walking down the wide, empty streets. "Sherufanir..." Ladius murmured to himself, leaning back in his chair. Where was she going at this hour?

On a whim, he grabbed his holdout knife and set out after her, clad only in his Grugund officer uniform. The imperial insignias and pips, each one earned through training and dedication and shined obsessively, had all been ripped away. His generalship now came from the men who followed him through hell, instead of thieving, scheming nobility in the capital. Even they did not understand his purpose, his destiny, but still they followed.

Following after Sherufanir at a brisk pace brought his thoughts to the hybrid neocollom, and their time together. She had only recently taken up with his forces, leading to their greatest victory yet, and in the process saving many lives. Although she seemed enigmatic and even dangerous, she had twice now interceded in conflicts and helped to end them. Their first meeting, what seemed like a lifetime ago, had in reality been only a few months back.

Sent to suppress a rebellion in the Tannus Mountains to the north, Ladius had agreed to do the dirty work for a landlord who had brought the entire conflict on by heartlessly overtaxing the peasants and driving many into destitution. They had finally taken up arms, only to find themselves confronted with the professional army, who should have been protecting them. It was now, to him, a great shame that he had gone so far in the service of Grugund. He grew up determined, even eager to fight monsters and even repel darkness itself from the lands, but now he understood that darkness could reside within men, as well.

Ladius had tried appeals to diplomacy, but the rebels would not listen to him, betrayed and embittered by the ruling class and the country at large. It had very nearly come to blood when, from the enemy camp, Sherufanir emerged with a small guard and asked to parlay. Sympathetic to their plight, she had joined the rebel forces and advised them, but she now saw clearly that Ladius' army was too great to overcome in direct combat. Instead, she challenged Ladius directly.

"If you win, we will surrender to you without a fight," She had told him, cunning eyes staring straight through him as if she already knew his answer. "But if I defeat you, general, then you will agree to march your army back down the mountain." Everybody but her had baffled a little bit at this proposal. The rebels certainly weren't happy about resting their hopes on an outsider, no matter how skilled. His own retainers, companions who had fought beside his father against the first wave of darkness, saw through the ploy. She was obviously trying to negate Ladius' advantage in terms of men and fighting power as much as possible.

The opportunity to avoid thousands dying for his mistake was appealing to Ladius. He grasped at the challenge immediately, admiring her on their very first meeting. Really, they were both on the same side, seeking to avoid a battle. He also admitted to himself that he was a fairly proud individual when it came to his martial skills, and such a beautiful lady couldn't possibly match up against him, right?

It had been close. She was so fast, he could barely even keep track of her, much less match her moves. He had trained all his life to move quickly in heavy gear, but against her, he couldn't land a single hit. She danced around him and tagged him, drawing blood twice, all the while smirking like a fox. She had psyched him out as much as outfought him, at first.

He was, though, a real tank, absorbing hits on his finely-crafted armor plate and barely even seeming to flinch when her blades slashed him. The fight had stretched on, and he attacked at every opportunity, enduring until she slipped up just once, stumbling on the uneven ground. He nearly took her head, but stayed the impact so the great, blunt sword merely hit atop her shoulder and rested there.

"I win," Ladius said hoarsely between heavy breaths, holding his sword in both hands and tensing up for her next action. He was so close that he heard her breathing, too.

"You win," She replied, and she dropped both of her daggers, bowing to one knee. "And I am at your mercy, general." She turned to look into her eyes and saw in them heat and passion. The fight was a strangely intimate experience, given that thousands of eyes watched the proceedings. Winning the gamble and ending a war before it got started was sure to be the crowning achievement of his young career.

True to her word, she convinced the leaders, such as they were, of the rebellion to accept a blanket pardon, lay down their arms and stolen property, and return to their fiefdoms. To convey their legitimate concerns to the capital, Ladius took a personal envoy from the rebellion, and to nobody's surprise, Sherufanir accompanied his troops on the march back.

He'd never expected the pain and bloodshed that would flow after he returned to the capital. Upon his return, he was quickly seized and thrown into protective custody. It didn't seem much different from prison, although the nobles assured him it was only a precaution while the courts investigated his actions at Tannus. It was clear from the outset that his mercy was unacceptable, to the people of the city as well as the ruling class. He was charged with no crime and was guilty of nothing, but would rot in prison all the same.

When Sherufanir showed up a week later, to bust him out and secret him from the city, he was more than ready to leave. Stout in defense of his country up to that point, he had seen, clearly as day, Grugund's corruption and failing. Betrayed and embittered, he gathered his retainers and as many loyal men as he could find and began his march towards the south and safety. She hadn't come with him, though, leaving for parts unknown.

The trek so far had been arduous. As he moved south, Grugund's forces were soon upon him, led by a childhood friend determined to bring him home. Raising his arms against her had been tough, but it was painfully obvious that he would never get a fair trial in his home now. He had become a rebel, one way or another. After two great clashes and the loss of many men, he had escaped to the eastern swamplands, trading the hazard of imperial troops for monsters in the bog. Through the journey, he had also gained new allies from the swamp and, finally, made it to the Republic of Fensarril's territory. Ever Grugund's adversary and rival state, Ladius hoped they of all people would be willing to grant him and his troops protection.

No sooner had they landed across the great river, though, than they got word of a mysterious and wealthy lady in the area. Sherufanir had recently come to the coast to investigate a gathering of orcs and goblins. The dark forces were threatening towns across the entire south coast, and Fensarril troops would be slow to react. Although their quest would ultimately take them north, Ladius had made the decision to turn southwards and aid the people.

Thus, he'd stumbled upon Sherufanir for a second time. She was happy to see him, and his troops, quickly providing him with critical intelligence and joining his retainers. Thanks to a well-timed strike against the makeshift leaders of the dark army, the enemy had evaporated into confusion. Defeating them in detail was almost a simple matter.

He had passed the gates of town in his musings, heading out upon the road, barely keeping Sherufanir in sight as she ducked into a light forest and then headed for the beachfront. The moon was out, nearly overhead, and full, showering plenty of light upon the slumbering landscape. He could see the beautiful ocean, dark and calm with few waves, stretching out and occasionally lapping at the sands. It was a wonderful country, and no wonder that so many wanted to live there, even though the coast was a wild place.

Admiring the scenery had caused him to lose her completely, though, and he frowned in confusion before deciding to follow the coast and hope for the best. Wandering too far from population centers, especially during the night, was a blunder. He heard murmurs and whispers upon the wind, and finally, from the treeline, low groaning.

It grew louder as he approached and his hand found its way to the knife, adjusting it for a quick draw. He crept forward, curious and alert, but it was obvious that he was spotted. Something leapt from concealment in front of him and he drew on it in an instant, heart thundering and ready for battle.

"Waoooo~" There, standing before him and howling skywards like a beast, was the lady herself. It was no wonder the people of the coast figured her for royalty, with her beauty and elegantly-tailored dress. It was much simpler than what a lady of a court might wear, though; no ruffles or expansive layers to restrict her movement. It was cut in an alluring way up her leg and the material seemed to shift from black to purple with her movements. Her ears and tail were, just like her hair, golden blonde that seemed to shine in the darkness. Even at a distance, she was unmistakable.

Ladius let out a sigh and slumped slightly, securing his weapon. "Sherufanir. I apologize for following you so suddenly, but leaping out upon me is an excellent way to get hurt-"

She interrupted him by howling again, and his brain, still surging with sudden adrenaline, was having trouble interpreting the scene. It was a little absurd. "Um. What are you doing?" He was no match for his father Leonhardt at the best of times, he was honest enough to admit that, and his fatigue wasn't helping matters. It was probably some strange tradition that he had, like a fool, interrupted. "If, uh, I…"

Stretching broadly, she groaned and finally seemed to notice Ladius again. "Oh, uh. Hello, Ladius! I, just…" Well, at least she was reduced to staggering words for a moment, too. He noticed her cheeks start to heat up just a bit. If drink was involved in this, then things certainly made a bit more sense. "Oh, how to put this…" Her pitch changed slightly as she talked, as though she were having difficulty focusing enough to form words. "Well, the neocollom part of me, uh, once every lunar cycle, or about a month, uh," She pointed up in the general direction of the moon for emphasis.

Oh. "It becomes more difficult to compose yourself." She nodded. "So you venture out alone to work out your animal instincts, to avoid bothering others. And I've disturbed you for no reason other than idle curiosity." He let out another sigh and shook his head. "I'm deeply sorry, this is clearly something that's a little embarrassing, I'll-"

"Well, it is embarrassing," She interrupted him again. It was very uncharacteristic for her, and Ladius was grateful; being interrupted was pretty annoying. "But! I'm actually glad that you came along when you did." She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Why?" He asked, and with the beastly aspects of her personality firmly in control, Sherufanir burst into loud, raucous laughter.

Taking a few steps forward brought her almost nose-to-nose with Ladius, although she was noticeably shorter. He was built like a statue, after all. "Working out my stress alone gets boring. I need somebody else with me." In case that didn't penetrate the armor around his head, she followed up a moment later with a low, husky murmur. "And I'd rather you than anybody else."

Comprehension dawned on him and he got a few shades more red, immediately trying to take a step back. She moved closer, though, putting her arms around his neck and pressing against him lovingly. Where he was hard, she was soft. It was such a sensation for the inexperienced young man, barely nineteen and accustomed more to the battlefield than the bed. "Sh-You're not in your right mind-"

"No, wanted to do this since we met," She replied, her eyes glazed slightly but still staring directly into his. What a beautiful shade of blue. "Next full moon, you were all I could think about. Pretty crazy." She kissed him, hard, basically ravishing his mouth before he could reboot his brain.

She had a taste and it was distinctive, but Ladius could barely keep from falling over, much less identify it. Probably something very expensive. His eyes shut and, in spite of everything, he just went with it. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned into it, forcing himself to breathe through his nose to stay alive.

It ended when she decided to end it, pulling back, but just slightly. She glanced down at him and felt how hard he was getting. She practically growled, and Ladius recognized the look on her face now. It was that of the fox, looking at her next meal.

"It's alright with you that it's my first time?" He asked. Ever since he'd run from Grugund, he'd started feeling older and older than he was, but that all melted away and he got a real perspective of himself. Especially compared with Sherufanir, who exuded confidence and experience with barely any effort, he was a child when it came to these matters.

She rolled her eyes. "Thought so. Don't care… No, wait, I do. I like it. Give you a first time worth remembering." Her words sent a shiver down his spine and caused his breathing to hitch. Before he could think of another objection, she took his hand with one of hers and started to drag him, bodily, away from the water and towards the trees. "Personal experience. Never in sand."

As soon as they reached the grass, she tossed him down with inhuman strength. Before pouncing him, she produced her lucky knives and tossed them aside, and then began to slip out of her dress. Instead of just ripping it apart, she carefully unhooked it and allowed the beautiful, shifting fabric to fall away from her body. There was nothing underneath it, and Ladius would have realized that much sooner, if he'd had any experience. As it was, he was now reduced to staring as she bared herself to the chilly night air.

He stared, shame forgotten as he took in every detail of her body. She was healthy and even curvy, with smooth skin, and it was no wonder she was mistaken for a royal lady by the locals. Compared to regular people, she seemed better somehow. Her attitude was just as attractive, though; she carried herself with a complete confidence, in herself and her actions. "Glad you like me," She purred, still talking only as much as she had to. It seemed he wouldn't snap himself out, though, unless she helped him along. "Yours, now."

He nodded, swallowing nervously and tossing away his own blade. His uniform was of great emotional value to him, even though it didn't confer him authority anymore, and he appreciated that her concern was enough to avoid just ripping it off. He didn't take long, though, tossing aside his jacket, undershirt, and then standing up long enough to slip off his pants. "Meant me~" She grinned and, unable to wait any longer, advanced on him until she was within grabbing distance. "This is good too."

Sherufanir bent down and he felt her cool hair against his abs. She kissed his skin, causing him to shiver and get hard. The smallest things could send electricity down his spine, and she suckled on his skin as though she was literally going to eat him. Kneeling for a moment, the neocolom grabbed his boxers and slipped them down until he could step out of them. She planted a kiss on his bare cock, wringing a little noise from him, but then stood back up and stared him in the eye.

Without another thought, she pressed against him in a hug, sweeping his legs out from under him and then depositing him on his back on the grass. Mesmerized by her, he barely struggled against this, and she was far too strong to be denied. She went down with him, sitting upon his lap and reclining for a moment. Her weight pressed down on him and his erection poked the side of her thigh, and she looked down at it for a moment. "Mmmh~" He noticed, clutched in one of her hands, a small package that he ripped apart to reveal a smooth condom. She grabbed his throbbing cock and rolled the condom down upon it, hands rough and insistent and nearly blanking his mind already.

Ladius opened his eyes as well as his mouth to say something, but she shook her head and pulled herself up, aligning their hips together until he felt himself right up against her, intimately. Without much foreplay, she was ready to go, dripping wet and driven mad from her animal instincts, and she took her partner into herself. Both of them grunted and sucked air as shocking feelings coursed through them. She shivered and pulled herself down until she was filled up with him.

"Sherufanir," He gasped out, watching her body writhe and twist above him and feeling her tighten and squeeze around his cock. "My God…" He choked as she pulled out, leaving him slick with her fluids, and quickly plunged back down, more aggressive and powerful. Whatever he'd expected his first time to be, it definitely hadn't been anything like this.

It wasn't bad, though. In fact, after the initial shock, the sensations were absolutely amazing, and he basically allowed her to ride him all she wished. Her energy seemed limitless and she barely slowed down as he came, and came again, quickly hardening after each time thanks to his own endurance as well as her continuous motion. Her powerful thighs milked him urgently, and time seemed to stretch on forever until she finally reached her own peak. She howled, as loud as she could, and her sharp nails scratched across him and brought him a flash of pain alongside oceans of pleasure. Mostly, though, she managed to claw at the ground instead, until she pulled back and gasped.

His ears rung in the silence, and they locked gazes for several long moments. "I called out your name last month," She told him, voice quiet and even hoarse. She seemed to be peering right into his soul and he flushed more, despite how intimate they'd already gotten. Imagining her, curled up on the ground and desperately fingering herself to relieve her heat, pressure, pent up energies… her melodic voice calls his name… "Oh, again?" His cock stirred quickly, but although she was sweating and panting, she didn't seem tired. "Good. You are mine, all night."

After a short break to catch her breath, she went at him again, using his body in ways he had scarcely ever dreamt of. Occasionally, she was able to convince her to stop, but that never lasted long, and he quickly lost all track of time. Eventually, though, she started to waver, and he seized the opportunity, gripping her legs and flipping both of them over until he sat astride her. She let out a little squeal of surprise, shifting to allow her fine tail to get out from under her back, but his lover seemed more happy than annoyed by this change.

She lifted her legs and locked her ankles, pulling him in and encouraging his hips to thrust against her. He was still, in a way, under her control even as he held himself over her body and pushed in, watching her shapely breasts bounce from the motion and hearing her growling and moaning. He didn't need to worry about holding back one bit, putting all of his remaining strength into her and pressing her into the ground. She cooed and encouraged him loudly, and he was grateful they'd found an abandoned place to act out in.

The fatigue that had plagued him seemed to melt away almost entirely, even though he should have collapsed. Her expectation and affection kept him feeling alive, and several times she slipped out of his grasp only to replace his condom. Every time, she made a great show of trying to clean off his spent cock, revitalizing him and tasting of his seed before she put on a fresh condom. The kind of lives they led, war and chaos, would not allow them to raise a child safely, although both of them privately thought of such things even as they continued to fuck.

Ladius was a man bound by his destiny, a contract forged by his father that demanded the ultimate sacrifice from him. There would be no time of peace afterwards for him; when it ended, so would he, and he'd grown up fully aware of that. She was a free spirit and independent soul, his opposite in so many ways, physically and emotionally, but they both found a part of themselves in the other.

Reflection and thought in general was hard, though; each moment they were together was entrancing and they carried on as the moon passed overhead. His strength, only a human's regular share, soldier or no, faded before hers did, and even as he fell into sleep she continued to grind and writhe against him. Finally satisfied, she eventually collapsed against him, and, nude and soaking in their sweat as well as sexual fluids, twisted together on the grass, they slept.

He slept soundly that night, without a single interruption, in her warm embrace.

"I thought you might sleep forever," Ladius heard as he searched the nearby forest for his left boot. He'd already gathered up the rest of his uniform, which had seen worse tatter and wear over the years, and gotten himself looking decent. He felt far worse for wear, though; he could barely get his legs to move. "It's already noon."

He finally found it and slipped it on after shaking out the grass, letting out a sigh. "I've got a few things to do before that." He looked back at the sound of refined laughter and saw Sherufanir had also gotten dressed. Her hair was a mess and she had dirt stains marring the beautiful, silken fabric of her dress, but even though she looked so disheveled, she was still beautiful.

"Yes, Dyshana told me yesterday." She stretched and let out a groan, flexing a little bit and seeming to bounce on her heels. Evidently, last night had been just what she needed, and he couldn't help a bit of envy at her vitality. "She wouldn't say too much but I gathered the important part. I know of your destiny, Ladius." Far from her usual smirk, Ladius saw that now she was frowning.

He gingerly made his way over to her until they were once again close. "I'm not as quick as my father was, but I recognize a piteous look when I see one."

She looked like she was going to laugh, but instead she shook her head. "No. Well, I cannot help but think it a little unfair, you know. Your father made a contract binding you, and your entire line, to Dyshana's war to save his own life. I get the impression you were never offered the chance to decline this destiny."

"We all have a choice," Ladius said, pulling her into an embrace. "I was born for this purpose, and raised for it. I know nothing else aside from it." Even as he said that, he realized he was starting to tear up, his vision blurring.

Sherufanir realized that anything she could say, he'd already probably thought to himself a million times by now. "Yet it hurts. You bear up so well under it… a lesser man would have ran away long before now. I surely could not bear the burden of all Graccea and its fate."

He smiled, a small, sad expression on his grim face. "Ah, I mistook your feelings again. Please, don't denigrate yourself. Twice now you've been in the right place, at the right time, to save lives and prevent wars. I can't believe that happened by chance. You are free, but you do take on burdens and you follow what your conscience demands. I'd rather have your pity than your admiration."

"That's not true," She insisted, taking his hand in her own. "Ladius, if you only fight because you must… why not run away with me? We can find somewhere safe and allow destiny and fate to rage without our contributions."

"Run away…" Ladius chuckled even as he wiped his eyes clean with his sleeve. "I'm sorry, Sherufanir. I'd never even considered such a thing. If I went with you, and abandoned my duty… we wouldn't find peace. Not truly. It would haunt me until the darkness, unchecked, came for us, no matter where we went to hide."

She fell silent and pulled away, although she held onto his hand tightly. "… I know. Come on, let's get back to town before we're missed."

Somehow, going back there wasn't appealing to him, but he didn't want to stay. He nodded in agreement and took the lead, never letting go of her hand as they walked back to the road. From there, the outskirts of the town wasn't far at all. The morning watchmen at the town gate were just changing shifts, and talking leisurely with a distinctive man in an old brown coat. "Great, just who I want to see us together," Ladius murmured in annoyance. "Knowing Winfield, he will promptly assume that we slipped off during the night to…"

"Fuck like animals?" Sherufanir finished his sentence with a grin and she saw him avert his face, because he was blushing again. "Well, we did. I didn't say this already, so I will now; I appreciated that, Ladius. Thanks for putting up with me."

"As long as that only happens once a month," He cautioned her. "Any more frequently and you'll wear me out for good." She quietly giggled and he braced himself for a little more embarrassment. Hopefully, in time, he would get used to it, especially if Sherufanir was joining his party for good.

"I see your confidence has grown. Although, you are right to assume I would spend my next wild month with you again. You were the best I've ever had."

Upon their approach, a guard waved to the two of them and got Winfield's attention. After a moment of shock, the ageless rogue ran towards them, the biggest grin of his life plastered on his face. Recruited by Leonhardt, Ladius' father, Winfield had been there as something approaching a father figure since he had been born. Now, he seemed also to be on the verge of tears. "My lord, it looks as though… oh, it's true, isn't it?" Sherufanir nodded and Ladius felt himself betrayed. "By God, the day has finally come! I am so proud of you, my son!"

He soon turned upon her. "My fair Sherufanir, please, take good care of him from now on! He has so much to learn, so much to experience! If you can give him happiness before the time comes for his destiny, then-"

She held up a hand and said, "Don't worry, Winfield. After what's happened, I won't give him up for anything."

Without another word to either of them, Ladius trooped back into town, heading straight for the inn and barely sparing a greeting to his men as they stirred and woke alongside the townsfolk. Perhaps staying another day in town wouldn't be so bad, especially since he felt ready to sleep the rest of the day away. He certainly didn't need the pills anymore, and was asleep as soon as he hit his comfortable bed.

Whatever that night had meant, and Ladius was honest enough to admit that it certainly meant something, they had to press forward. Matters of war and blood were still to be decided, and then he would be called upon to make his sacrifice. Sherufanir had, like a harbinger, arrived just as the darkness descended upon the land, and now, she would be there for him as he fought. It made his duty a little less crushing, a little less lonely, and only solidified his determination to see things through, to the end.


	2. Honor of the General

**A/N:**_ Valeria and, in a sense, all of Generation Two embodies my love-hate relationship with Agarest Senki. On my run, I wasn't meticulously following the True End Guide, because, well, I don't believe a game should require fullstop a detailed step-by-step guide just to see most of the story. Well, if you aren't on the perfectly correct path with every decision, a path that the game gives you no indication exists on its own, then you do literally miss well over half of the story and content and character moments_._ By Generation Two, things were therefore getting bad. I knew I was missing things, and the gameplay had become less fun, with each battle a tougher and tougher grinding slog. I had no clue what to do or how to do better, and the game is not very helpful on that score, at all. I reached the end of Generation Two and then consulted some True End guides, and found an unbelievable wealth of content that I was simply not given because I was on the wrong path._

_"So you mean to tell me that I just dragged myself through a hellish experience and constant doubt and annoyance... only to be served about half of the game I paid for?" I could barely bring myself to start a new file, this time aligned perfectly with the True End goal and following a meticulous walkthrough of events. By that point I had about finished actually playing the game. Thus, I decided to focus on the things I did like, and, well, here came the fanfiction._

_This chapter contains no smut and no fluff. It embodies more my vision of Valeria and her relationship with Ladius than the True End stuff._

* * *

><p><strong>The Honor of the General<strong>

_Second Generation_

Ladius x Valeria

* * *

><p>Ladius was about midway through his writing for the evening when Yayoi, of all people, poked her head into his tent. "Ladius-sama, excuse me, but the sentries are calling for you. Somebody has arrived at camp and requests a meeting." He looked up from his paper and saw the young girl. She had been a priestess in the hidden Old Yamato Republic in the great swamps, sworn to become a sacrifice. Unlike his own destiny, however, her sacrifice would have been for nothing, and in gratitude for saving her from such a fate, she had joined his forces and led the way out of the nightmarish terrain.<p>

Although her manner of dress, robe-like garments of red and white, and her speech, with odd words and honorifics, were all foreign to him, she was a good person in her heart. In fact, he often thought that she was too good, and young, and wholesome for his work, but she had proven herself a hero in their battles together. She had even saved his own life on more than one occasion.

"Thank you, Yayoi," He replied, leaning back against his chair and smiling, although he was, as usual, quite tired. "I will be right out." She nodded and, pale cheeks flaring red, quickly ducked back out and returned to her business.

He finished the sentence he was on. "… deployment based upon what can be rallied from the forests to the east," he vocalized quietly to himself, finishing each word in black ink and then setting his quill down. "Alright." A break from the paperwork and messages couldn't be that bad, anyway. He stretched out and then got to his feet, heading out towards the front of the rebel camp that he now called his own.

Whoever he had expected to come calling at his hidden forest encampment, alone and devoid of weapons, was certainly not who was waiting nervously between a pair of stoic peasant soldiers. However, she was unmistakable, with her long, braided fire-red hair and elegantly tailored dress. A flash of pure surprise hit them both as they stood, looking upon each other for the third time in a year.

0-0

If Ladius was as treacherous and devoid of honor as he was accused of being by the nobility, then Valeria knew she would have already been dead. Bowmen and even firelock troops had emerged from the hills, ready to rain death upon her elite guard, but their leader had stayed their arms and come out personally to meet her challenge. "Valeria."

"Even at this hour, it's not too late," She roared at him, eyes burning with her determination, even in the face of being nearly surrounded by her enemies. The only thing she focused on, dead ahead, was Ladius himself. Flanked by his retainers, clad in tempered, worn steel, and dragging his greatsword across the sparse grasslands, he looked every inch a man, so at odds with her childhood memories of him. "Give the word, Ladius, and this will end! I swear to you upon my honor as an officer that you will receive a fair trial this time as soon as we return to the capital."

While she was fire, rage, the very image of war itself, his face showed determination as well as a great sorrow, especially when she looked into his eyes. As he drew closer, she could see from his stance that more than his equipment weighed him down. He did not shout as he spoke. "I saw how much the honor of a general goes for with the nobility, Valeria. So did you."

"What were you expecting? You forced your way out of custody and took three regiments into open desertion with you from the capital! We could have established your innocence, given time-"

He shook his head, leaning upon his sword like a wizard with his staff. "I'm guilty as charged, Valeria. They wanted a slaughter. Those rebels were right, and the nobles wanted me to kill them all."

0-0

"Ladius…" Valeria spoke first, bracing herself. She didn't quite know what to expect from this meeting, either. After everything that had happened, Ladius had every right to be mad.

He was.

After he recovered from the pure surprise, he balled his hands into fists and his eyes turned hard, staring into hers in a way she had never seen before out of him. For a tense moment, she thought he would step forward and strike her on the spot, but instead, he turned towards one of the guards. "Sergeant, take this envoy to the stockade and hold her until I am finished with business and can entertain a meeting."

The man nodded in acknowledgement and Valeria sucked in a breath, opening her mouth to say something. Ladius was already turning around, though, and the protests, the apologies, the confessions all died in her throat. With a nudge from the second rebel, she followed the Sergeant through the camp and, as ordered, was placed into the otherwise empty stockade building, behind bars.

The guards, before leaving, seemed to recognize her and do something of a double-take themselves. "Weren't you an Imperial general, as well?" The Sergeant asked her. "Why come here?"

"Things have changed," She replied, and after it was clear that was all they were getting from her, the two men shrugged and left to take their post again.

0-0

"You have me at a disadvantage now, but you know I can bring more forces than you can hope to defeat," She shook her head. "You can't beat my army in the open field, Ladius, even in a fighting retreat. Why continue to resist? Your men will die for you."

"The demands of my destiny come before everything else, Valeria…" Ladius looked away, letting out a deep sigh. "Grugund, the men, my friends, myself… even you. I can't allow anything to stop me before I fulfill it." Growing up, she remembered that Ladius had been possessed a certain, unshakable sense of his destiny. As he matured and came into his military training, that sense had turned fatalistic, but now she suspected he was simply mad. What prophecy or foresight could be worth betraying their homeland?

"Maybe they were right about you," She said, rage turning slowly to sorrow. "There were whispers, Ladius, long before Tannus. Have you changed, or was this always your intention?"

He closed his eyes and took a single deep, rasping breath. "Withdraw from the field and let us go, Valeria. We can't march on Grugund even if we wanted to; you know we make for the southern river."

"And from there, where? To Fensarill?" She shook her head. "To our enemies?"

"Fensarill has done me no wrong," Ladius replied. "I can't say the same for our homeland. They can offer my men safety and maybe, even, a chance to live free." Valeria's eyes widened in amazement and her resolve was strengthened. Clearly, he had lost it somewhere along the line, and she'd failed to see it. Now, it was her job to apprehend him somehow and get him back to the capital, where he could get some help.

"I can't forsake my oath, Ladius, and I'll not lose you again if I can help it. To arms!" She readied her partisan, the great spear weapon taller than a man and pointed with razor-sharp steel. While her uniform may have suggested an aristocrat, playing at being a general, she was in fact a deadly adversary, and capable in her fury of terrible feats of strength and agility. The guardsmen around her rushed forward, meeting with Ladius' troops and his small band of loyal retainers and bloodying the eye of the storm.

0-0

She'd been cooling her heels for a while before somebody came by the jails. Valeria had been hoping for and dreading Ladius' arrival, but instead, she recognized the neocollom, Sherufanir. A hybrid with animal ears and a prominent tail, she was still amazingly beautiful, and wore clothing similar to Valeria, if much tighter and more daring in its cut. She was cunning, enough to be seriously dangerous; in their encounters before now, she had tried to be friendly… before busting Ladius out of custody and precipitating a crisis. In a very real way, she was responsible for the events that had wrecked his life in Grugund and ripped Ladius away from her.

"Val, it's been a while," Sherufanir said, locking the door behind her and approaching the bars, a maddening smile on her face. Valeria felt herself glaring at the other woman. "Tell me that you at least appreciate the irony of this situation."

She folded her arms tightly over her chest and, after a moment of consideration, replied, "Are you here to break me out, then?"

The hybrid laughed, leaning against the bars with one gloved hand. "Where did that come from? Have you grown a sense of humor?"

"A rather morose one, after everything that's happened." Valeria was a little off-put by Sherufanir's attitude. She was all smiles, but her keen eyes told a different story. When they had met last, they had been trying to kill each other, and her soldiers' instinct drew her eye to a pair of sheaths at Sherufanir's belt. "Why are you here?"

The elegantly tailored lady seemed to take a moment before replying, glancing back towards the door. "What, I can't come and visit a friend? I know we haven't had much us-time since the imperial capital-"

"We're not friends." Sherufanir looked back towards her and saw, to her chagrin, Valeria's expression hadn't changed. It was still a mask of barely contained rage.

Sherufanir pouted. "After everything we've gone through, you'd say that right to my face…"

0-0

The rest of the army, freshly arrived upon the plains of Nagigahara, began to break their ranks and charge as they saw their general in trouble. The deserters were ready for the attack, and the ranged forces, led by the expert marksman Winfield, ripped through them with deadly precision and accuracy. Halberdiers and spearmen moved forward and huddled into a tight line, ready to meet the charge and stop it cold; when the two great masses of men met, many were speared instantly.

Ladius' loyal men were a cohesive fighting unit, and although he was now tied up in a personal confrontation, they moved as one. The spearmen took five steps backwards and broke their ranks up to permit the swordsmen to charge, straight into the stalled and chaotic mess of the enemy.

Valeria wasn't focused on any of the combatants aside from Ladius himself, rushing forward and weaving through several engagements until she reached him. He knew her well, though, and was not surprised by the speed of her attack. His greatsword was drawn and ready for her, and he swept her point aside and forced her to veer off.

Four times, the Grugund troops pushed forward, struggling to reach their general, who had extended herself far past the front line and straight into the maw of the deserters. Each time, their massed charge had brought them closer to the furious melee, paying with their blood for every inch. Soldiers that had served together for years were now put against each other over personal loyalties, and in the press of the battle, everything was like a nightmare.

The two of them, since they were kids, had sparred many times, but Valeria felt wind as Ladius' blade passed less than an inch from her neck, a killing blow, were the heavy weapon to strike true. As odd as it seemed, nothing before now had quite impressed upon her how serious the fight was, until just then. She reacted with lightning speed, dropping to her knees and swinging her spear like a bat, smashing him right in the gut with every ounce of force she could muster.

That was quite a lot of force. Even through his padded armor plate, Ladius stumbled backwards and coughed from the wooden impact, barely keeping hold of his sword. She sprang to her feet and brought her spear around for a charge, directly at him, but something hit her in the side. A wave of magical energies tossed her like a ragdoll and she tumbled onto the dirt and grass, landing on her side.

0-0

"I wasn't there for the first time, of course. Ladius told me about it, though. Ladius has told me a lot of things." Sherufanir reached for a nearby chair and took a seat, folding her legs and adjusting herself to avoid squishing her tail. "Not necessarily fondly, of course. When I passed by his tent he was about ready to put you to the block." Her eyes flashed even as Valeria felt, once again, a sickeningly familiar pang of jealousy. "I calmed him down a bit."

"Do you want me to thank you for that?" She asked, still standing, looking down upon the hybrid.

"It would be polite," Sherufanir admitted. "Then again, you always did have problems with your attitude, hm? And your temper, of course. I remember that second battle, out upon the river pass, with Grugund's army to your back… and Fensarill's to ours." Her smile faded. "You called us traitors, then."

"That's the definition of treason, pretty much," She replied without missing a beat.

"Well, then… what's the word you would use for when your country betrays you? It's funny how Grugund doesn't really have a word for that concept." She produced one of her knives, an intricately carved weapon, sharpened lovingly and detailed with precious metals. Sherufanir was convinced that her knives helped account for her uncanny luck. While she spoke, she twirled it idly.

If intimidation was her goal, Valeria wasn't going to let her get it so easily. She acted as if she didn't notice the deadly implement in her hand. "When I said I had to speak with Ladius, I meant it. Things are different now."

"Apparently," Sherufanir agreed. "If it was just a message, you could have let some private take care of that. You know we wouldn't kill a messenger with Ladius in command. But if the messenger was you… a risky proposition." The knife stopped, and she grasped it by the blade. "So then, why?"

Initially, she was going to tell her to fuck off; what she had to say was for Ladius alone. However, the neocollom didn't look like she would be taking no for an answer. Perhaps enlightening her would prevent anything unfortunate from happening before the general could get here for their parlay. "I returned to the capital after my second clash, and the marquis was not impressed. The nobles quickly assigned blame for the defeat at the most logical place; me. I was relieved of command and confined to my estate, indefinitely."

Sherufanir was brought up short by this revelation, nearly dropping her knife on her own foot. "No," She shook her head, beginning to quake with laughter. "You must surely be kidding." No, the hybrid knew that she was serious; one look at her face could tell her that. Her laughter only increased when Valeria, trying to be stoic, blushed in embarrassment. "Oh, by the Gods!" When she was finished laughing, she leaned against the bars of the cell and took a few deep breaths. "Life is very quickly turning into a very bad play, Val."

0-0

She locked eyes with her new attacker, the high elf girl, Ellis. She had been, in many ways, a mother to Ladius as a kid. She had the appearance of youth, even though she was at least twice Valeria's age, and her long, pink hair was striking and even beautiful. Even now, she stood loyal to him, her staff burning with blue power and her eyes smoldering with rage, pointed straight at her.

Without exchanging a single word, the two women came to understand each other, and Valeria got to her feet just in time to dodge a second impulse wave, which carved through the dirt beside her and nearly broke her partisan. She had no means of retaliation, but, in the heat of the moment, she let out a cheer as one of her elites got behind Ellis and slashed her. In a flash of red, the girl went down, and a part of her reacted in horror. That was a small part of her, though; in battle, the human soul could find little traction. She was just glad the threat was over.

Focusing on Ladius wasn't too hard, though; he charged for her now, suddenly transformed by rage and screaming as he rushed for her. She didn't have time to grab for her weapon, bracing herself for the impact and feeling herself pushed backwards. It was like trying to stop a steam train's advance, and she backed off, only to lock up with him again in a grapple.

She held against him, though; she was no wilting violent or pampered noble, and she often won their little sparring contests, especially when Ladius was getting soft. There was nothing soft in him now, and they stared at each other for a moment.

"Now," Ladius bellowed, and before Valeria could untangle her arms and dodge, a fireball slammed into her back and enveloped her in magical flames. Her armor, suitable mostly for stopping stabbing or bludgeoning, was ill-equipped to resist the flames, and it quickly burned away and revealed her flesh.

Valeria screamed in pain, weakened for a moment, and Ladius gave her a headbutt that sent her reeling, followed by a kick to her chest. She went down, rolling and writhing in an attempt to put out the blaze even as she felt the agony of her own skin being cooked. Her hair had also been caught aflame by the attack, and she struggled to remember her training and put it out.

She saw Ladius rush back, grab his sword from the ground, and heft it over his shoulder, turning towards her with a slow, deliberate, lethal intent. Despite her pain, she knew that she had to get up and find her partisan. When she wheeled around to face him, though, she found him slowly backing off. Many of her honor guard had died in the fracas, including the man who had nearly sliced Ellis in half; those who remained were withdrawing to protect her, and Ladius and his retainers were also backing off. Several of them were badly hurt, but none had fallen; a great, dark figure was cradling Ellis and staunching the bleeding as she watched.

It didn't take long to figure out why. The deserters were all beginning to pull back, finally pushed from their hasty defensive positions by the massed fury of her army. Their advance quickly caught up to her, even as the rebels began a relatively orderly retreat, southwards.

0-0

"I am sorry, I forgot how easy it is to provoke you to anger, Val," Sherufanir apologized, still wiping tears from her eyes after her fit. Indeed, in their fight, Sherufanir had taunted the red-haired Valkyrie until she was a blind berserker driven by hate. It hadn't been difficult; she had mentioned, among other things, how close she and Ladius had become on their relatively short journeys together. The monthly episode, for instance… To her shame, she may very well have listened to reason, and the doubts she had harbored even then, if Sherufanir hadn't goaded her into a murderous fury.

There was a knock at the door, and Sherufanir slid over, opening it up to reveal Ladius himself. Now was the moment for the meeting, apparently. "Ladius, I wasn't expecting you yet," Sherufanir purred, voice as smooth as silk. "Just catching up on things with Val here."

He nodded. "Please, give us some privacy." Instead of what she would usually do, insert a wise-crack about old times, she nodded and took her leave. Soon, he closed the door behind him, and they were alone.

Moments of silence passed between them, and Valeria wondered if he was going to say anything, or just sit there forever. Eventually, she spoke up first. "So, how much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," Ladius replied calmly. Much of his outward anger had gone, and now he was collected, folding his arms over his chest. "Enough to know what happened to you, to bring you here." He reached for one of the chairs sitting against the wall and had a seat, immediately slumping forward and losing much of his good, military posture. "What do you have to say to me?"

She had actually been going over what she was going to say in her mind on the journey through the woods. Finding the rebels had been far easier than actually hiking through untamed wilderness to get to them, and she'd had days and days to contemplate. Keeping her mind focused on now helped with the whirlwind of emotions sweeping through her, but now, she couldn't help but recall every detail of the past; their happy childhood as well as the pair of tumultuous, hateful battles.

Grugund's proudest and strongest general wanted, more than anything at that moment, to apologize, to beg for Ladius' forgiveness. After everything that had happened, though, she still couldn't bring herself to that point. She wasn't wrong, she hadn't screwed up, she just… "Was it still worth it, Ladius? Everything that's happened because of Tannus, and the investigation…"

Ladius cast his eyes down to the floor and, to her surprise, didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was slow. "You remember what the Duke used to tell us both; thinking that way doesn't get you anywhere. It just gets you buried in doubts." That wasn't all, though; "Well, he's dead now, as dead as I am… or you, apparently. I have, in fact, wondered often whether or not it would have been better to rot in that cell, or just follow my orders in the first place, and wipe out the rebel forces."

"And?" She asked, now finding herself leaning slightly against the bars.

"It was worth it." He looked back up, meeting her eyes. "I've walked the length and breadth of this continent, and witnessed horrors and miracles. I have fought, endlessly, spilling our blood or spilling theirs; just as I learned all my life. I thought I would fight alone, though; but I never have. Friends and comrades have stood with me, every step of the way, carrying me when I fall and fighting alongside me. Many have died so that we could reach this point in history, and that I could advance towards my destiny. They stood with me, where you would not."

Valeria found herself wishing that Ladius had come in fists-swinging, because a fight was a much easier and simpler proposition than whatever this was. "Where I could not, Ladius! My oath was to Grugund, and you left her behind to follow your damned destiny! Without our military, our rival states will crush us and conquer our people!"

"Yet now you come to my camp, after everything… you're no messenger, Valeria. You're a warrior and a general. You wish to join us, now?" She had never known Ladius to be particularly sharp when it came to academic matters, but something had definitely changed in his demeanor and his intellect since he had left her. The old Ladius would have needed more than a few hints to figure any of this out, really. Betrayal, war, and intrigue had sharpened him as much as his blade.

She nodded. "I am placing my hopes in you, Ladius, the man who I loved, and then I swore to kill..." He again looked away from her, staring at the floor and letting out a deep sigh. "Because I have little else to believe in, now. I know your plan is to overthrow Hailzen and his friends in the nobility… I just hope that your rage does not end up toppling all Grugund." What an odd thing to say, coming from somebody notorious for a temper. She smiled slightly, in spite of the situation.

Ladius nodded. "Yes, that makes sense, I suppose. Your other option was to sit in your manor forever and watch the world go on without you… and that was intolerable." He knew he certainly couldn't have stomached it, especially now. "I couldn't very well refuse you on the eve of our attack, could I? You know more than anybody in the world about the capital's defenses and military condition."

Forcing down a sense of relief for that much, at least, she pressed on. "I do actually have messages to deliver, as well. Relays from the lords Hykezatt and Messina, as well as their allies." Those names struck a chord of recognition in Ladius, as well they should; they were the only two highly placed nobles to argue against his imprisonment and, in general, were regarded by the people as steadfast and incorruptible leaders. Even with a man-made darkness choking Grugund, it would have been hard to suppress those two without an all-out civil war. "They have had enough of Hailzen and his tyranny." She reached into a pouch on her armor and produced a folded and wrinkled note, etched with ink and scribbled in small, neat handwriting.

He accepted the note and read it quickly. "A gift, to show your good intentions now," Ladius murmured, nodding. "Were it any other from Grugund I would dismiss this thing as a trap, and an insulting one, at that. However, from you…" He seemed to slump deeper into his chair. "I cannot deny it." He looked up, once again, but instead of any happiness, she saw something deeper, and more sad. "They will be great assets in the struggle to come… as will you."

He slowly got to his feet, and produced a key from his pocket, unlocking the cell door and pulling it open. "We make for Neiva Forest in the east, starting tomorrow. We must rally more forces, and train them to readiness, before we march on the capital. I don't believe I need to ask for your parole. Understand, though, that forgiveness is not something deserved, nor something earned… it is given. And some people may never find it within themselves." They stood in silence for a moment, and then he took a step backwards, turning his back on her. "You're dismissed."

Childhood friends, together again, at last.


	3. Human Nature

**A/N**: _I had always felt that the intro to the game was good, but a bit rushed. I really, really enjoy detail and worldbuilding and getting a solid grounding in the world of a game, so I felt perhaps a more detailed explanation of Leo, and his reasons for stepping in and making a fateful decision, should be explored in greater detail. As a result, however, I quickly realized that this chapter would be serious, somber, and even depressing in tone. This is quite intentional, and it does stray from the tone of the game somewhat, even though Agarest is a surprisingly serious war drama when it wants to be. If it's not your cup of tea, I understand completely, but I feel quite happy with this chapter and how it turned out. It's the longest one yet._

_This chapter doesn't contain romance of any kind, smut or fluff. It's a serious look at the very intro to the entire game itself and the events that precipitate the plot._

* * *

><p><strong>Human Nature<strong>

_First Generation_

Leonhardt

* * *

><p>Ever since he'd arrived at the Frontier, Leo had found himself haunted with strange, prophetic dreams. Although humans were in the ascendant, and magic seemed to wane from all of Lucrellia, he'd never been the sort of man to ignore those kinds of signs. Specifically, his dreams most often showed him his own death, observing from high above as though he were simply a chess piece on a board. He saw his own short, blonde-nearly-white hair, royal knight coat and beloved golden sword, but only from a distance. He wasn't particularly small, but against his opponent, he was dwarfed; a figure clad in black armor, an opposing knight who killed him every time they crossed swords.<p>

Before embarking for war, his hopes had been relatively high. There was nothing like the fires of conflict to forge a new name for himself, and repair the damage done to his line back in the capital. There seemed little doubt in his mind that Gridamas would ultimately triumph and finally wrest control of all the Frontier away from the elves and other beings who lived there. Everything had started to change, the moment he stepped off the boat, however.

The invasion was a truly ugly thing up close; instead of perching in his tent and watching his men die from comfort, Leo had always believed in getting in and mixing it up personally with his considerable skill with his golden blade. Despite the overheated rhetoric back home, and even spouted from his fellow commanders, victories were neither swift nor decisive, but purchased with blood and sacrifice. He saw humans working alongside elves to resist Gridamas, even as the Empire tried to set the elves apart as somehow unclean or heretical.

Dark rumors, and more than rumors, circulated about just how far Gridamas was willing to go in its campaign against what remained of the elves, as well. Even a war against rebels and guerillas, with its myriad horrors, was an entirely different matter, worlds apart, from the sort of things that the resistance forces alleged was happening to prisoners and captured towns.

Gridamas was his home, however; his birthplace and the nation that he had taken an oath to defend. Leo had simply refused to believe most of the reports, writing off the most convincing accounts as bad judgment in the heat of combat. Surely, atrocities on both sides had come from simple human nature coming out, with all of its capacity for darkness, in the conduct of the war. In any case, fighting to the best of his ability, securing victories as quickly as possible, would help end the horrible conflict sooner, and thus spare lives on both sides in the end.

As the months dragged on, however, any hope of a fast victory, or even any victory at all, began to fade from his mind. Endless campaigns and fighting dulled his spirit and blunted his prose every time he tried to write or even retreat into his old books. The only things he wrote now, mostly, were letters to what friends remained back home. It was a struggle to even convey what the invasion was really like, to cut through all the fantasies and propaganda and capture the essence of what seemed to him a certain kind of Hell.

Doubts, about sweeping things such as human nature as well as more specific, and political, thoughts on Gridamas' invasion, had finally burst open one day. Leo and his battalion, encamped on the southern coast of the Frontier, had been working to weed out bandit raiders working with the resistance for weeks now, and ambushes had put nearly a fourth of his entire unit out of action. The rebels were falling, as well, but no matter how high the body count went on either side, he knew that they were no closer to weeding out the enemy than when the battles started.

In fact, general headquarters had deigned to take notice of his failure, and sent a series of escalating messages demanding he finish the raiders off. Other officers, more secure in their noble heritage and lacking Golden Leo's disgraceful past, were allowed to send tens of thousands of their men to death in foolhardy battles, but every time he stumbled, the hammer came down. It would have been more irritating to him, were it not for the fact that he was becoming fairly used to it. Most days, he could have dealt with it.

Before lunch, however, he had personally participated in battle yet again, leading the defense of his own base against a large enemy assault. The rebels' daring attack was a disaster, leaving broken men and abandoned equipment scattered all across his camp and, as with every other fight, producing no definite winners. Perhaps his perspective on the battle might have been different, if he hadn't spent his lunch hour carrying survivors, Imperial as well as rebel, to the medical posts and nearly wallowing in blood.

Before he'd even had a chance to wash off his white coat, his second-in-command, the stout Kasibal, had approached him, bearing yet another dispatch with official seals. Before the man could speak, Leo unleashed his thoughts upon him, as he had grown accustomed to doing. "Tell me, Kasibal, can you tell if the blood on me is elf or human? Or, for that matter, Gridamas or Frontier?" It all looked the same, splattered and quickly staining the intricately-woven fabric.

Kasibal was much less of an intellectual than Leo fancied himself; born of yeoman stock, he had worked his way up in the military ranks the hard way, without the benefit of patronage or favoritism. The two seemed ill-matched, but the man's determination and loyalty had been keeping Leo sane, barely. "No, sir. It all looks the same." He waited a few moments, but Leo only grunted in reply as he made his way towards the latrines. "Fresh water supplies are limited but I believe we have enough to get you washed off, General. Afterwards, fresh orders have arrived from Command. I believe we're being reassigned."

Despite the stale adrenaline and horrible memories still wracking his normally active, bright, and even cheerful mind, Leo couldn't help a shudder of relief. From experience, he knew that this new posting was likely somebody's idea of punishment for his unit's failure, and thus would be even worse, but at this point, he was ready to abandon the devil he knew for the one he didn't. "Very well, thank you. I won't be long in the bath." He pulled off his coat and winced; it was now practically pink except for the collar. "Once the living are triaged and the ones we can help are properly cared for, please arrange for the cleanup details. I will join them afterwards."

If Leo had been facing a regular enemy army, he would have been exchanging messengers with them about a temporary truce, in order for both sides to retrieve the bodies strewn about on the field and in the camp. As it was, their enemies melted away quickly after their failed assault, and he couldn't have communicated with their leadership if he wanted. It fell to his exhausted men to put the dead under before nature ran its terrible course, and he was barely five minutes in the bath before he was back out on the field, shovel in hand.

It was hours before he was able to put down any food at all, despite his hunger, and he dined on poor rations while he finally unfolded the newest message and had a look in his tent. Any relief at the redeployment he'd felt began to fade, replaced by a yawning emptiness, followed by shock, and finally an abstract horror, so different from the stench and sight of the fallen. The whispers and rumors and propaganda had been, in a single note, suddenly crystalized into a terrible reality.

The coastal settlement that Gridamas had used to land much of its primary invasion forces, a mixed town called Erendale, had fallen to a surprise rebel offensive in the past week. Enemy units, acting with unusual cohesion, had snipped one of the most important Imperial supply routes in the theatre, and scored a major morale victory. Every time the people of the Frontier gained a win, they were inspired to fight on, in the face of overwhelming military might.

The Empire's response to this, however, was so far into overreaction that it was monstrous. His unit, along with every other major fighting force on the coastal region, was ordered to make immediately for the town, encircle it, crush all rebels and retake possession… before setting the entire town to the torch, and rounding up the population. "It is clear to our Intelligence assets that the townsfolk aided this rebel strike, and no mercy will be shown. Every nonhuman in the community is to be put to death immediately, and the humans will be shipped to our fortress at Zelzagun for processing."

By now, Kasibal had listened to many of Leo's rants and tried his best to keep up in conversation, even though he wasn't normally inclined towards philosophy. As soon as his right-hand man joined him in the command tent, dried beef in one hand and a mug in the other, he started in on him. "I assume you've read through this, then?"

"Yes, I have," He replied, taking his seat across from his superior at the table and ripping into the meat. "I knew you would want to talk about it, as well, sir."

"It goes almost without saying, you know," Leo explained. "But I'll say it anyway: What happens in the field, in the heat of a moment, at the behest of some local commander… well, that's one thing, but headquarters has just ordered us all to participate in an atrocity. A war crime."

Kasibal let out a sigh and took a long drink before he answered. "I don't know about all of that, General, but… the way you say that, it's so naive, even though you've been deployed for months. You've been right here with us every step of the way, and the men know it." It occurred to Leo that Kasibal looked older than usual, especially in his eyes, before he looked away. "We're only here because we stick together, and we follow orders, even if we didn't understand everything, or we disagreed. That's the true meaning of discipline."

After a contemplative moment, Leo continued, "You don't seem particularly surprised by this, then. Or, for that matter, nearly as outraged as you should be."

"Orders are orders," Kasibal replied. "That's all we need to know, sir. Anything more just screws things up. With respect, I don't think you're truly as shocked as you think, either. We've both heard things; in fact, last week, we had a discussion not unlike this one. We both know that not all of the reports coming out of the rebels are false. A lot of the boys are talking, too."

Deep below the surface, in some part of his mind where reason met instinct and feeling, Leo knew that Kasibal was at least right about that. Over time, as the horrors of war had seeped into his mind and suppressed his brighter, more cheerful side, he'd come to accept some of the things that were happening, even while he denied it to himself. It was practically the only way to keep going, keep marching, keep giving orders when he knew, deep down, that Gridamas was in the wrong in this war. All of the men that died, today as well as every other day, weren't dying for some grand noble cause; it was man's folly at its worst.

So, on some level, Leo had to admit that this note wasn't really anything he hadn't thought about and considered before, but something about it… he had most certainly reached a breaking point. "We can't do this."

Kasibal looked up from his meager meal. "Sir?" Behind that one word, Leo could hear many more, and his lieutenant was now staring at him. That one word carried quite a lot of meaning behind it, and he didn't need to say anymore to get it across.

"You heard me, Kasibal. This order is unacceptable, it's illegitimate." As though it would make his argument more convincing, he motioned towards the paper in his hand, wrinkled and stained with spots of mud and blood. The neat handwriting, and the official seals, had all survived spotlessly, however, but to Leo's mind, they were all covered in mud, as well. It took an effort not to toss the paper away.

"It looks legitimate to me, sir," Kasibal replied evenly, his full attention now on his commanding officer. "Sent via official channels, sealed and approved. Only a directive from the Emperor himself could get more legitimate."

Leo shook his head in annoyance. "You know what I mean! The fact that this order came down from the highest levels means that something is very wrong here, Kasibal. The system is wrong."

The older, far more experienced soldier leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Sir, this is very dangerous talk. Treason has become a thin line these days, you know what's been said amongst the ranks already… and what the response has been from other generals. It's a soldier's duty to carry out the orders they're given, no matter what." He looked up at Leo and shook his head. "Believe me, I might not seem like it, but I won't enjoy this assignment one bit… but war is hell, no matter what way you slice it open. Mutiny won't help anybody, least of all you, sir."

Before Leo could fire off a reply, Kasibal cut him off, a very unusual act. He seemed animated, even, leaning against the table and setting his mug down. "It's important that you understand what's at stake here, General. Few in the army are yet as sympathetic as you are, when it comes to the Frontier and its inhabitants… they will carry out this order. Nobody is irreplaceable to Gridamas anymore, either. This regiment is going to follow its orders, and I can't let you destroy everything you've worked hard to regain after… the incidents back home."

A stunned silence settled into the tent alongside the two men. Neither had either seen the other quite in such moods, one on the brink of betrayal, the other determined to prevent that, 'no matter what', Kasibal didn't need to add. He looked fairly young, so unfitting to his personality; almost Leo's match for attractiveness, even though he'd gone through no pampering in his life. It took Leo a while to think of his answer, crossing his arms firmly and looking into his eyes. "… I'm sorry, Kasibal. Even now, you're just looking out for me… as you always have."

As quickly as the pressure had come to a head, it now abated, and the lieutenant bobbed his head as he took another bite. "One of my most solemn duties, sir. You're too good for this war. You don't think like a soldier would sometimes, but that's why I'm here. It's not a fault, though. Maybe if we keep it together, we'll even make it to the end and go home."

"I suppose so. Nobody has much choice in these matters, now… very well. Send out word to the men; we break camp in the morning and head out, towards the east." Instead of making war against an enemy, fighting against lawless combatants, they would now march upon the just as well as the unjust like an indiscriminate rain.

Leo slept fitfully that night, and took only a light breakfast, even though he knew he would regret both of those things once they were on the road. He didn't even have a horse to ride upon, having to pound the dirt just like the private soldiers. In contrast to his somber mood, most of the regiment was glad to be leaving the area, with its lurking pirates and mass-graves, behind them, headed towards the relatively unknown.

The march went about as well as could be expected, given the fighting that Leo's unit had suffered just over the past few weeks. With no time for reinforcements and little resupply available, except for local forage, he calculated he was down at least half of his original fighting capability. The wounded and tired slowed the march down, but he was actually glad for that. The longer they took to move on Erendale, the more chance that he might miss at least the worst of the 'action' to come.

However, the rebels certainly were determined to hold the town; after two days of steady, but slow, marching, Leo could see pillars of smoke on the horizon through his field glasses. As always, Kasibal kept his post beside his General, near the head of the unit, marching in orderly columns. "I suppose it really is in man's nature," Leo said, partially to himself, and partially to Kasibal. "Taking lives in pursuit of what we want. It's part of who we are, as much as my books." If the other man heard him, he made no reply.

Messengers from the forward command posts began arriving, with updates on the tactical situation as more and more Gridamas units converged to squeeze the rebels like a constrictor snake. One of the runners also carried specific orders for his company; for their dubious record so far, they would be awarded the chance to prove themselves again- by going in with the vanguard of the assault forces the next morning. Leo could barely dismiss the man without striking him dead, quaking with rage.

Soon, though, he found a distraction. "Our scouts are reporting rebel activity further east of the town," Kasibal reported. "It looks like they might be trying to harass the supply caravans." He motioned deeper into the forest, which, up to this point, seemed only to get thinner as they marched.

"Sounds important," Leo remarked, and, basically on a whim, he reached for his sword. "I'll take a small force and go after them. Maybe that will convince the generals to stay our execution. Take the main body ahead to camp, I'll be along." Kasibal nodded and moved ahead, to the front of the column, after taking a handful of troops and assigning them to keep Leo safe.

None of the troops were too worried about the general, though. Part of the reason they followed him through misery and death was his reputation as a fearsome combatant. Most of them were more focused on finding some rebels to hunt, eager to avenge the recent losses from their regiment, and the group quickly split apart into smaller and smaller units as they shuffled through the trees. Leo allowed this, where usually he would have tried to keep them together; he wasn't really paying attention to anything.

He ran into no rebel forces, however, and just at the point where he pondered gathering up his troops and heading back, he heard screaming in the distance. A girl's screams, in fact. Leo's thoughts flashed to the general orders about Erendale and he got moving, running in the direction of the noise with blade ready.

As if in answer to his fears, a clearing opened up before him, and in the distance, he saw figures, armored in the battle uniform of the Empire, moving around something. He quickly got closer, though, bursting from the treeline and skidding a halt. A man bearing officer's stripes and two private soldiers were menacing a girl, who looked shockingly young… and was also clearly elven, with extremely long pink hair and prominent ears.

"Help me!" The elf girl called out, voice cracking, as she tried to back away. Her legs were much shorter than the soldiers, however, and they kept pace easily.

"Stand still," The officer intoned, leaning against his greatspear. "If you hold still and let us make this quick, I promise, it won't hurt a bit." At his voice, Leo realized that he recognized the man; Musaka, another unit commander, of a similar rank to his own. They'd met a few times in conferences, and a small part of his mind had to admit that he wasn't too surprised to find him carrying out these orders.

Before this could go any further, he called out, running straight for them. "By the Maker, what is going on here?" He shouldered his way past one of the soldiers, placing himself squarely between them and the girl. Everyone was surprised, but she certainly seemed grateful for the intervention.

"Golden Leo?" Musaka paused for a moment, blinking. "Ah, yes. It makes sense that you've arrived here, too. We're just executing the general orders. Surely you've read them? All non-humans at Erendale to be put to death, immediately." Where Kasibal seemed young for his age and seniority, Musaka looked old, with prominent scars and wrinkles from a life of hardship.

Confronted with such matter-of-fact monstrosity, as though it were a casual, even normal part of the world, Leo struggled for a suitable response. "I would accuse you of joking, but that's not funny. How can you even consider that? Look at her, Musaka. She's a little girl, not some rebel murderer."

"It's an elf," Musaka replied without missing a beat, although he seemed much annoyed with this interruption. "I've seen what they're capable of when you let them loose, and everybody's heard the stories. Better we finish things now than let a high elf grow up to resist us."

The two privates backed off, realizing at some level that this was a confrontation a little past their pay grade, although they stayed in the area, weapons ready. "Please…" The elf said, her childish voice quavering in fear, "Help me…"

Leo glanced backwards and met her eyes for a moment, smiling just a bit. "Don't worry," he said, and turned back towards Musaka, who was advancing upon him. "Not a step closer, General!" He readied his blade, pointing it straight outwards in a challenge and stopping Musaka cold. His sword gleamed gold in the sun, despite the number of times it had been covered with blood.

"What are you doing?" Musaka demanded, trying to burn him out of the way through his stare alone.

"This isn't happening," Leo shook his head, staring back with every bit of determination he had. Suddenly, an impulse had turned into something that he had to do; he was at his breaking point, even if this was going to turn bad for him. It was far, far preferable to going back to camp and, tomorrow, slaughtering tens of thousands as though it was acceptable to do so. "Get out of my face, and let the elf girl go. You aren't killing this one."

"Or what?" His opponent demanded, gripping his spear tightly and leaning forward, stance aggressive. "You'll take up your arms, in defense of this elf? To fight against me is to break with all Gridamas, Golden Leo! You know the price you'll pay for this."

The warrior-poet nodded. "Maybe." He paused, looked back at the frightened little girl again, and then back to the menacing figure in black. "Maybe I'm okay with that, though. Maybe it's better than the alternative. Maybe I've finally seen what humanity is like, deep down in our core… and maybe I've rejected what I've seen there. Take another step, Musaka, and I'll kill you."

The other two soldiers seemed intimidated, at least by the mythology that had been built up around the legendary fighter, as well as the determination in his eyes. They hesitated to move forward, despite the full weight of the Empire behind them. As annoyed by this as Leo's act of betrayal, Musaka let out a huff like a bull, leveled his weapon pointing straight for the other man's heart, and charged with a battle cry.

If he had been free to maneuver, Leo would have moved aside, employing greater speed to get at Musaka's sides or flank and negating some of the reach that his spear gave him. He couldn't abandon the girl to attack, however, and had to keep all three of these men away from her as much as possible. That meant that he stood his ground, bending his knees and readying his blade silently.

The attack was aimed downwards, stabbing towards his breast; he moved his blade to intercept, and steel clashed. Both men felt the impact, struggling to keep a grip on their weapons. The spear had a lot of momentum going behind it, as did its owner, and its course was diverted by the sword, sending the point sailing to one side.

Sensing an opening, Leo realized that he was holding his sword downwards, as well, and instead of trying to bring it around to attack, he employed a faster and blunter tactic. He struck with the pommel of his blade, bashing the older, more experienced soldier right in the face and sending him reeling from the pain. Instead of buying himself a moment to think or strike back, however, he provoked some old instinct and triggered a hit so quick he barely saw it coming.

Using only one hand, Musaka swung his spear, hitting against Leo's side and inflicting some pain of his own. That wasn't the purpose of the move, though, and the point was soon back on top of the weapon as it drove forward. Leo was surprised Musaka could even see well enough to aim the blow, and nearly found himself impaled through the shoulder before he sidestepped.

Speed still played a role in the fight, however; Leo thought fast and he moved practically as quick. He swung and hit the spear-bearing arm, accomplishing little except another loud metal clash. Musaka's armor was far better in quality than the private soldiers' loadout, as he expected, and it easily warded off his attack. If he wanted to accomplish anything, he would need to go for the head again.

Despite his promise to kill the other general, however, Leo hesitated just long enough to catch a big boot that nearly floored him, and certainly crushed the air from his lungs. Clearly Musaka wasn't having any second thoughts about the fight; he followed up and only missed impaling his kneeling target by a handful of inches.

By missing, though, he brought himself closer once again, and Leo smashed him with another pommel strike, this time aimed towards the back of his head. Angry and hurt, he put all of his strength behind the savage blow, and the larger man jerked like he'd been struck by lightning. After a moment, he stumbled, and collapsed as though he'd lost every muscle in his body.

It certainly looked as though Leo had struck a deadly blow; injuries to the head, especially blunt ones, were catastrophic, and he winced from more than his own pain as he regarded Musaka's prone form. He could see his large black chestplate rise and fall slightly, however, and, with shaking hands, brought up his sword to deliver the _coup de grace_.

He hadn't paid enough attention to the fight's three spectators, however. While the elven girl was still sitting there in fear, watching, eyes wide and streaked with tears, Musaka's soldiers had finally decided that enough was enough. They moved forward, blades ready, until they opposed Leo over the body. He looked up at them and set his jaw. "So? What's it going to be, soldiers? Will you carry out your orders, as well?"

To his surprise, however, one of them shook his head, speaking through his visor. "I don't think we could do it, and he agrees." The other one nodded at this. "But if you kill our general, we'll have to take you out, or die trying."

Leo blinked. "I think I understand, now. Loyalty is a powerful thing, but it's blinded all of us to Gridamas' true nature." Neither of them responded to him, and he shrugged his shoulders to throw off a little bit of the tension. He was still breathing hard, though. "I suppose killing a helpless opponent would only bring me closer to this man, and I can't think of anything more revolting. We'll both back off, and we can take our wards to safety, and nobody has to die now. Deal?"

They didn't need to think about it. "Deal," the first one nodded. "He's right, though. You'll be branded a traitor, and hunted. In the end, you'll die for this elf girl, General. It's crazy."

"Yeah, it's crazy. I guess that means I'm crazy. Bring out here can do that to a man. Some snap and kill their friends, others hang themselves in the dead of night… I've seen both in my regiment. Never seen somebody do what I'm doing, though, so at least I'll be remembered." He laughed, and the two soldiers shared a look. "Alright, alright. On three. One… two…"

"Three." The three men dropped their points and backed off a step, and they all let out a little sigh of tension. "Goodbye, then. And goodbye to Gridamas." He holstered his blade, and felt some genuine relief that, this time, he hadn't needed to clean it of more blood. Taking another step, he looked back at the elf girl, who finally got to her feet, brushing herself off with small, delicate hands. "You're not hurt?"

"… No," she replied, voice seeming so small and weak. Her eyes said much, and Leo knew that she wanted to say something, but fear kept her quiet now.

"Good. Come on, we have to get out of here before more soldiers arrive." His own damn skirmishers would still be in the area, and he doubted they would hesitate much more than Musaka had once they realized he was helping and protecting an elf. '_Then, I suppose they're not really mine anymore._' "Follow me, and keep close." He knew a little about the Frontier's geography, but it was still a foreign land to him; all he knew was that going east would take them away from Erendale, and the smoke in the distance, and the largest concentration of new enemies he'd just made.

They departed the clearing, soon surrounded by trees again and making their way through old or nonexistent forest paths. She followed, practically hanging off of his coattails. Leo was so absorbed in his own thoughts, few of them happy, that it took him some time to notice that she was in fact tugging on his jacket. "Hm?" He stopped abruptly and she nearly ran into him, squeaking in surprise.

"L-Leo…" She looked away, but then forced herself to look him the eye. He noticed, amongst all of his brooding thoughts, that her eyes were amazingly beautiful. He'd heard stories about elves, and not just the kind that Gridamas had perpetuated as racist propaganda, but before now had only met them from across a bloody field. In fact, he suspected that she may have even been a high elf, although they were believed to be extinct from the world. "Thank you."

For a moment, he struggled for something to say. "I couldn't just let them do that."

The elf paused again, and then said, "Y-You're part of it, though. The Gridamas army." Since they had stopped, at least for a moment, Leo found a nearby stump to rest, suddenly feeling the fatigue of a day's marching and the fight with Musaka crashing down.

"Now, I'm just Leo. Well, Leonhardt is my full name, but most people don't bother with that. What's yours?" He let out a soft groan as he tried to recline, his hand coming up to clutch about where he figured his ribs were. He'd gotten a variety of pains, all minor, from the battle against the pirate raiders, and letting Musaka land a solid blow on him hadn't helped matters. Nor had all the marching and running and drama. As much as it embarrassed him to admit it, even with all his prowess in a fight, he was a little delicate compared to somebody like Kasibal. '_I wonder how he's going to take this news when word gets around…_'

"Ellis," she spoke up, coughing a few times, but more to clear her throat than to reflect an illness. In fact, the running hadn't seemed to take as much out of her as him. "That's my short name."

Even now, Leo realized exactly how screwed he was, when all the big picture was taken into account, but despite all of that, he managed a genuine smile. Not a sardonic laugh or dark little chuckle, but the sort of thing a happy person did. It was his first one in quite a while. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Ellis." He glanced back in the direction of the smoke, which he could still distantly spot, and he felt his smile fading already. "I'm so sorry all of this has happened… your home is there, isn't it?"

Ellis shook her head. "N-no." Instead, she pointed further east. "I was visiting, with a few of my grandfather's friends… but… the soldiers…" Leo gazed at the ground instead of meeting her eyes. Such a child didn't deserve to witness what was happening in that warzone. "I want to go home."

"Of course. Well, I hope you don't mind bringing me along the whole way. From what I remember, Gridamas hasn't had much activity that way yet, but you never know. I don't really have any other place to go, now." All of his worldly possessions beside the clothes on his back and his sword were practically gone at this point. His baggage, and luggage, and the books he'd carried with him since he left the homeland…

"We can get to safety, together," Ellis told him, nodding soberly. "And… I'm sorry." She didn't elaborate, but that was all Leo needed to hear.

He shook his head. "For what? You haven't done anything wrong. That's why I did this. I don't know if this choice will turn out for the best, or if I really am screwed… actually, I do know. But like I told them, that's fine. Everybody has a responsibility to make their choices and then see them through; all the consequences, the good as well as the bad." He was so glad that they had stopped for a little rest; even though they were still well within dangerous waters, he felt like an old man with a nigh-infinite number of aches.

Despite his best efforts to man up and work through his discomfort, Ellis noticed something was wrong with him. She concentrated hard for a few moments, held out her hand… and she was abruptly holding a staff of long, amazingly carved ironwood. Strange symbols formed an arcane language around the sides, swirling like mist as he watched them in surprise. "I'm not very powerful, but I can help you feel better." The world around him glowed white for a moment, and then green, and he saw sparks fly from the staff.

Leo wasn't really able to explain what happened to him, but he supposed it met the textbook definition of 'magic spell'. One moment, he was in irritating and distracting pain, and the next, he felt rejuvenated, as though he'd awoken from a good night's sleep. "By the Gods," He murmured in amazement, moving his arms and stretching out. "Actual magic." He got back on his feet and took a small bow to her. "Thank you for that. I wasn't going to die or anything, but a pampered former noble can only endure so much." Maybe the 'former' part of that explained why he was dealing with this so well.

Ellis nodded and dismissed the staff with barely a thought's worth of effort. "Don't get hurt badly, I can't do impressive things, yet, but one day…"

"You're already impressive enough for me," He told her, patting her head and looking towards the west, back from where they'd come. "Let's put a few hours and a few miles between us and Erendale and we can worry about finding food. Maybe even a town, if you know of one in the area."

They didn't converse much more as they made for the east, walking at a brisk pace to preserve their endurance and cover more ground over the long run. Leo marked, through a break in the treeline, high noon, marveling at how, even though it was the fall season, the weather in the Frontier was still temperate, even a bit warm for his tastes. Gridamas, far to the south, tended towards the cold, especially for the latter half of the year.

Ellis didn't live in Erendale, but she knew the local area intricately, and was able to direct him towards the nearest hamlet. It was a very small settlement, but they would be able to get enough supplies for the trip west. The two of them crossed a few small streams and brooks as they continued through the forest, avoiding what passed for a road system for fear of pursuit. Neither one caught so much as a whiff of enemies, though, and Leo prayed that their luck would run far enough to get them to safety. It didn't.

Before either of them noticed anything awry, a voice called out from behind them. "Golden Leo!" Surprised, they wheeled around, and found a pair of armored men emerging from the trees. One wore ornamental armor that marked him as a member of the nobility, and his much larger companion was clad head to toe in heavy, black plate. In fact, a single look at the dark knight was all he needed; recognition flared in his brain and it nearly took his breath away. It was the figure from his dreams.

The one that killed him, every time they fought.

He stared at him, and the almost alien-seeming knight, through small holes in his helm, stared right back, eyes glowing unnaturally white. The armor didn't even shift to suggest that the figure was breathing. Everything had suddenly taken on a very dreamlike nature for Leo, at least for a brief moment, before the same voice spoke up again, belonging to the blonde nobleman.

"So, you've finally shown your true colors, again. I can't say I'm surprised, but when they brought Musaka in, I just knew that I, and my friend here, had to go and confront you personally." Leo tore his eyes away, briefly; just enough to recognize the noble. It wasn't hard; Melchior had appeared in nightmares as well, although for older, and more concrete, reasons. Of all the scheming nobility, Leo had most suspected him, and his family, of having some hand in his house's tragic downfall. What a pair to find himself confronted by, just as he had abandoned his old life and made a break for freedom. "Oh? You've met the Dark Knight before now?"

"Not in person," Leo replied cryptically, slowly backing up as the two of them came forward. "But yes. Melchior, for Gods' sakes, she's a child."

Melchior regarded Ellis for a moment and then gave a shrug, the motion exaggerated by his silver shoulder plates. "Funny how you're the only one who seems to care about that. You know, that's one of the ways they say you can spot a lunatic." He was the only one to laugh at his little joke. "Everybody else, even your old friend Kasibal, is just too dense to chase you down. After you go to ground in this town, get your supplies, and really start to run, it'll be tough to catch the legendary Golden Leo. I suppose that means we've got to stop you here, then."

Leo produced his sword, and it shined briefly as he pointed it towards his new assailants. "You can try." He glanced back towards Ellis and then motioned towards the east. "Ellis, run. Now."

This seemed to shock her almost as much as the appearance of the two warriors. "What? No! I can't… just…"

He cut her off, shaking his head vehemently. "Yes, you can. I can't explain, but… there's no time, get_ moving_." After a moment of silence, she saw the look in his face; true, abject terror. Nodding slowly, she started backpedalling, still watching as though unable to look away. Leo turned to face his assailants and they both drew weapons; an elegant dueling rapier and a broader sword that seemed to sizzle and smoke as Leo watched the tempered metal.

"Awfully heroic of you," Melchior remarked. "Very interesting. Say, Leonhardt, do you know what my friend here is truly capable of? Few men do."

"I've got a vague idea. That doesn't change my mind, though; if nothing else, let me tell you-" Leo abruptly noticed that he had been run through, steel cutting through his jacket and its embedded layers of thin armor and going through him as though he were no more solid than air. His retort was cut off in a gurgle as he tasted his own blood, and he turned his head enough to see the Dark Knight hovering over him, twisting his sword deep.

Before he felt anything, though, his attacker had withdrawn his blade and backed off, allowing him to collapse into the dirt, stunned. He tried to move his body, only to find that it had stopped responding to him, and he felt his senses shutting down. On the edge of his hearing, Ellis cried out in horror.

Leo managed to fix his gaze on Melchior just as he put a hand on the Dark Knight's broad shoulder. "Let her go, she'll wait," he ordered, and the enormous figure nodded, sheathing his weapon. The noble advanced on him until he was standing directly over Leo, blade still out and gleaming in the sunlight. He tried to say something but his throat was too full of warm, metallic liquid.

"Sorry," Melchior's look of pity could have been feigned, or real, and it hurt either way far worse than his shockingly fast injury. That would start to change rapidly, however. "I guess he wasn't in the mood to hear your speech about honor and chivalry." He laughed again and Leo wished more than anything in the world for the strength to reach up and, with his bare hand if necessary, kill the bastard. "Somehow, I'd always figured it would come to this. I hoped, certainly."

He leaned down and his voice lowered. "Think of it like this; when you pass on, you'll get to see your clan again for the first time in, oh, quite a while. Whatever that wound didn't do, the poison upon the Dark Knight's blade will certainly take care of, but it will take some time. If you were a soldier still, I could give you a killing blow and spare you the torment, the agony… but as a traitor, this death suits you just fine. Goodbye."

With that, the two of them turned their backs upon him and began to leave, soon passing outside of his field of view and leaving him to contemplate his failure. Devoid of even a trace of his strength, Leo could still feel himself dying, and stared up at the sky. It was beautiful and clear, but his vision began to contract and his desperate breaths stilled. He didn't know long he laid there.

Everything went to night, darkness enveloped him, and his last conscious thought was, '_Now I will be judged, but what will the Lords make of my wretched life? Will I find… true rest_?' He saw no answer, felt nothing in his gut or heart or soul or mind, and perceived only the end of all things within himself. No light at the end of a tunnel, no angelic voices calling his name…

"Awaken, Leonhardt, and though you may be ready to pass on… look upon me and listen."

His eyes fluttered and once again he felt at least a flicker of life, focusing upon a woman, standing before him. She was pale, skin seeming to glow even in absolute darkness, and her long, green hair flowed around her youthful body. She wore a dress of black and, around her shoulders, a long white veil. Her eyes held infinitely _more_ than he had ever seen before, and he could not look away once they had locked upon him.

He spoke without speaking. "Who are you? Where am I?"

She smiled upon him. "You are not in the afterlife, but lie suspended _between_… suspended by me. I am Dyshana, and I have kept your life aflame though it threatens to wink out. I have looked among the world, and out of every person, every warrior, I have chosen you and now offer you a simple chance."

"I am employed with matters beyond the affairs of mortal creatures and their lives and struggles… or so I had thought. The balance of the world has been overturned and, after countless ages, evil threatens to awake and cover over everything with true darkness. I now require individuals within the realm of the world to stand as my sword, and my shield, and fight against the forces of this darkness. To become Spirit Vessels."

"It is within my capabilities to return you to life, in defiance of nature and fate alike, and to imbue you with enough of my power to take up this eternal struggle. In exchange, you will swear upon your soul undying fealty to me, and pledge your direct bloodline, descendants through the generations, to this war as well."

"Although your body is broken, your mind and spirit remain intact, and I would not force this upon you. If you choose to accept, you can return… and your actions will save the entire world."

"If I refuse?" He asked.

"I will honor your decision. Your life will end truly, and you, as every other man has, in time, will discover what lies beyond the veil of tears."

'_Pledge myself to an endless war, and defy nature itself… and give over my family, my direct line, to this conflict. They will live and die by this decision, as well… live and die by the sword. But if I cease to be, then my family, and my one commitment in the world, will never be_. _Ellis…_'

The decision was, to his mind, practically inevitable. "I cannot deny your offer, Dyshana. I must return to life and carry out my resolution, to protect her… and overturn Gridamas itself to end its evil and sin. If it means joining in your war, and pledging my bloodline to this… then, so be it."

She nodded. "Your very answer justifies my trust in you… I know that you will prove worthy of this. Take my hand, Leonhardt, and breathe again."

He reached out, as though his arm was weightless, and took hold of her hand.


	4. Settling Our Accounts

**A/N**: _Agarest Senki really is a great setting to write some fanfiction in. It's got an absolute ton of characters, even in just the first generations of the first game, with their stories, triumphs, and tragedies. In fact, there's so many characters that working them in to the story in some fashion, even when they're not the focus of the narrative, is actually tricky. I will eventually phase in all of the characters, and some might even get their own chapters to go more in-depth about them, depending on my inspiration levels. I've got several scraps and bits of legitimate chapters laying about in my Agarest file; I had to start and abandon several projects before I could stick with one long enough to produce a full story._

_I knew right away that I wanted to write a lot about Valeria especially, however. I distinctly remember disliking her in my first run, especially since I didn't know that you weren't supposed to hit her. She certainly wasn't holding anything back when she came after us. Because of this, she ended up joining the crew later and I just flat missed out on a lot of her scenes. In fact, Generation Two is really where I started to get ground down with tougher and tougher battles and less and less story as reward. I loved what I was presented, but because I wasn't in good with Valeria, I didn't get scenes with her, or even ones with Yayoi and Sherufanir. See why the True Path stuff is frustrating if you can't even see the outlines of the path?_

_So I suppose this series will be generally following the canon of the True Path, maybe until the ending, and with changes such as Valeria joining up later. Fyuria, I always found myself liking, even though she really is mean to you, especially just after you recruit her. She's modeled after the archetypal tsundere, but you have to hold out for a while before you hit dere, really._

_This chapter contains no fluff or smut; just two generations' worth of grievances worked out in one of the oldest methods imaginable._

* * *

><p><strong>Settling Our Accounts<strong>

_First and Second Generation_

Ladius x Valeria, Leonhardt x Fyuria

* * *

><p>Leo paid quickly for underestimating his newest friend and comrade. A mix of soldier's pride and remnants of Gridamas culture about women and particularly elven women had left him open for a right hook that had knocked him backwards and sent him tumbling into the dirt. He kicked up just enough dust to choke a little, and when he opened his eyes and looked up, he saw her standing over him, arms crossed.<p>

Fyuria was certainly a sight to behold. Thin and youthful looking, she didn't look like she had much more fight in her than Ellis, and she certainly wore much less, only clad in a series of leather straps that resembled belts more than clothing. Her skin was pale and seemed to almost glow, smooth and beautiful, certainly otherworldly. Her hair was a dark purple, tied into tails so long that they flowed past her back. Everything about her was beautiful except for the look she was giving him, which was something of a cross between fury and contempt.

Townsfolk who had gathered around in a loose ring whooped and cheered at the spectacle, barely registering in his now-addled mind. He was certainly no brawler, and on his best days a hit like that would have made him a little loopy. For a moment or two, all was still. Fyuria just looked at Leo, and he looked at her.

He broke their little silence in the noise. "That's one," He said, as loudly as he could as he coughed out the last bits of dust and then got to his feet. She backed off a step or two and put up her fists again. That was a little surprising; Golden Leo had half expected her to keep hitting him until he was beaten to death.

Knowing exactly what drove her rage didn't make it any easier to look her in the eye. He started trying to search for something to say to her, but he noticed a flash of pink in her periphery and turned to look at Ellis, who had just arrived on the scene and already had her staff out. She wasn't a syrium, but a different and more powerful breed, a real high elf. Even though she was really just a child, she could render powerful aid to her allies and call down destructive energies upon foes with little more than a moment's preparation.

'_I can't even imagine her power in a few decades_,' he mused to himself, mind no doubt attempting to escape the unpleasant reality of the now for just a second. '_Of course, I'll never get to see her grow up. I'll either fufill my destiny, or I won't_.' Oh, great, he'd settled on an even darker topic for mental wanderings.

He waved her off, not in need of his young friend's considerable magical talents yet, and Fyuria punched him again, taking her shot while he was distracted and landing a smashing hit on his jaw. Taken off his guard, Leo stumbled backwards, although this was just as much from shock as a result of his training. In the sort of situation where his head was hurt and he'd been taken by surprise, creating at least a moment and a step of separation with a foe was important.

All Fyuria saw was an enemy hurt, and she moved forward, on the attack. "Don't underestimate me, Leonhardt!" He blocked her jab with his arm, deflecting the blow and stepping sideways despite the ringing in his ears. The syrium hit him, and then hit him again, small and fast jabs that kept Leo hunkering down but couldn't bust through his guard. His arms felt each impact, however, and he ground his teeth together.

He was certainly taking the situation seriously now, and after a few more hits, Fyuria tried for a bigger move, throwing herself forward and swinging for his head again. She was faster than any person had a right to be, and instead of trying to avoid, Leo allowed her to land a glancing hit, concentrating through the pain. The attack left her close, and without a guard, so he struck back, fist shooting out like a reflex and smashing into her gut.

Relief joined the pain shooting through his nerves and especially his head when Fyuria backed off, coughing and sputtering. "Same to you, then. Try to remember, it's not Leonhardt the traitor. To you, it's still Golden Leo, right? Fearsome Gridamas general, a butcher on the Frontier?" Oh, this whole thing had been such an ill-advised move, and he really didn't know what compelled him to start pouring oil on the tinder. "Just another fucking enemy, right?"

She took a moment to breathe. "Right," she called back, voice easily carrying over the crowd, which still seemed like some kind of surreal background. After a few seconds spent rubbing her stomach, she abruptly charged towards him again, fists raised, screaming an elven battle cry.

0-0

Yayoi rushed out towards the hastily constructed arena, with its chalk outlines and wooden barriers to help keep the spectators clear of the action. Like everything else in the rebel camp, it was impermanent, and would be moving in a day or two as the unit marched for Grugund's capital city. Raised since birth to cultivate her mysticism and humility, she was a healer, employing both medicine as well as healing magics that had served her friends well and kept every one alive during their long, bloody march. "Valeria-sama!"

Normally Valeria's rage fueled her incredible martial ability, probably even more famous than her generalship. Today, though, and against this particular opponent, she was holding herself back, and paying the price for it. Across from her, Ladius seemed to have little of that restraint, normally stoic face revealing deep, pent-up anger.

In fact, although they were only dueling with training blades, so blunt they would serve far better as bludgeons than points, this was the second time he'd tossed her out of bounds and to the ground. She'd gotten a point in earlier through her speed, but she was already getting tired of being knocked around. When the young priestess reached her, she shook her head, sending a cascade of red hair everywhere. "Nothing but bumps so far, Yayoi."

After a once-over to confirm, using magic so she wouldn't need to remove Valeria's expensive armor-dress fusion outfit, the priestess nodded. "So far. Is this really necessary?" The general couldn't figure out if she objected more to the seemingly senseless violence, or the fact that she'd never seen Ladius like this in her life.

All she could say was a "maybe" as she turned to watch Ladius approach, even though she shielded her eyes and wiped her forehead. Grugund lands, occupying most of the north of Graccea, were more temperate than the swamps and marshes of the east, but a summer day could still get warm when one was fighting.

The priestess backed off a bit, as though she were worried his anger would catch her in the blast, and Ladius glanced at her before looking back at Valeria, still grounded in the dirt. Yayoi found her way over to Ellis, the beautiful elf maiden seated next to her summoned guardian, Borgnine.

"Ellis-sama, you seem awfully sanguine about this," Yayoi huffed, bowing slightly and then taking a seat. "Somebody is going to get badly hurt eventually, and I think I know who it is."

"Hm." Ellis murmured, head leaning against her palm as she watched, almost staring past the two combatants. "It just reminded me of another time, long ago. If Ladius had wanted to kill her, he would have put her on the block the day she came to us. I don't know if I raised him the best I could, but I brought him up honest about that." She glanced over at her imposing larval god. "Borgnine, please find Yayoi and I something to drink."

His only purpose in life was to serve his master, her, after being summoned by the elf in her darkest hour. Yayoi thought he might object to such a menial errand, but instead he merely stood up, nodded, grunted, and went off, shouldering his way through the throngs of rebel troops. Taller and broader than any man, with dark, purple-tinted skin and unnatural lines, rippling with muscles, he found this an easy task. She was honest enough to admit that he still scared her a little, but after months of travel together, she had come to rely on him as much as the others had. He was solid.

After a brief smile at the thought of Borgnine accosting the quartermaster, she turned back towards the proceedings and noted that Ladius carried both training swords; Valeria must have dropped hers in the last round. He tossed it back to her as honor demanded, and it landed in the dirt.

"Back on your feet," he ordered. "We're just getting started."

After a few moments of silence between Yayoi and Ellis, the high elf spoke up again, voice barely audible over background noise. "My back still hurts sometimes, too." The priestess turned to look at her, but Ellis was still staring straight ahead at the fight.

0-0

Ellis had decided it was probably smart to place Borgnine between the two combatants while she went out, staff in hand, to help Leo. His head swam and pain shot through his spine every second or so, causing his vision to blur, but he could see the concern on her childish face. "Hold still, Leo," she told him, waving the staff over him and summoning sparks of brilliant blue light. The strain of the spell told on her face, but she didn't stop until he could actually feel magic flowing through his veins, seeking points of damage, bruising, or pain and snuffing them out.

This was quite a bit more healing than she'd summoned up before, either after their escape from Erendale or during their sporadic fights with monsters and wildlife along the journey. As a trained warrior and with some backup from his companions, he'd managed to avoid messing himself up too badly after his first death. In fact, becoming a Spirit Vessel had done wonders for his physical stamina and endurance, although he would probably still lose a scrap with Kasibal.

Thinking of his old friend and second-in-command didn't help his mood. '_You'll keep right on following your orders, and so one day we're bound to meet again_.' Turning his blade in defense of a child or to stop Gridamas attacks on the Frontier were one thing, but taking up against him? The world, and the Empire, would be poorer without the man, assuming he didn't get himself killed again. According to what little Dyshana was willing to tell him about this whole thing, it seemed he wouldn't get to keep trying if he continued dying.

"… Why?" Leo was snapped back to the here and the now, and out of his euphoria at much of his pain simply vanishing, Ellis' eyes were streaked with tears.

He glanced up at Fyuria past the dark guardian and said, "I've got reasons. They might not be the best reasons, but… well, you know me." He shifted his weight off a bit that still hurt a little. It had felt like it was on fire before the healing spell, though, so things were definitely on the mend. "First, I was getting a little soft in unarmed combat… well, I've always been soft. She's the best we've got when it comes to fists, no offense, Borgnine."

Borgnine said nothing.

"I also figured I needed to do something before she tried to kill me for real." He was really kidding on the square with that one, although Ellis didn't seem to appreciate the joke part of it. Leo had never carried out any of the atrocities done in Gridamas' name, but his name and reputation were still entangled with the Empire, and everywhere he cast his shadow, people still saw Gridamas. '_Aside from Alfheim, though_.' Ellis's home had welcomed him, although they'd had a personal reason to thank him for what he'd done.

Personal safety aside, that was probably the biggest reason Leo had felt tempted to stay in Alfheim and hide from national events; any feelings but hate were coming up in short supply on the frontlines. Folks around here had felt the lash of Gridamas directly, or were dreading when the Empire finally came to their town. Fyuria had even more reason than most to hate him.

As much as he understood her hate, and sympathized with it, at the end of the day he had a job to do. '_After all this, I can't just lay down and die no matter how much you'd like it… not until I've fulfilled my oath_.' Their eyes met again.

"Hey," Fyuria called practically over Borgnine's shoulder, arms crossed. "Why did you keep getting back up? Why haven't you called it already? All you're accomplishing is giving me a punching bag." He noticed that her eyes flickered to Ellis occasionally and something in her expression changed.

There was an opening here somewhere, and he needed to take it or lose an opportunity. "It seemed like this was the only way I was going to get your attention. You weren't going to listen a human, especially this particular human, just from talking." Honestly, he'd hoped to at least hold his own with somebody who had very little in the way of formal military training, but life was like that sometime. With the healing over, he patted Ellis on the head and then got to his feet, exhausted and still somewhat in pain. Now, though, he felt more drained than beaten. "I'd throw in the towel gladly; all you have to do is agree to talk to me. I'm not asking for your forgiveness or your love or even respect; all I want is those pointy ears."

0-0

Valeria was, simply put, tired of the way Ladius was treating her, and tired of rolling over for it. Everybody had a breaking point.

Being tossed out of the ring in front of so many was an open humiliation, and its sting brought out her temper once more. All the regrets she'd been dutifully nursing seemed to melt away and she went on the attack, scoring two consecutive hits and putting her childhood 'friend' back on his heels.

"Is this what you wanted?" She shouted at him, looking him in the eye and seeing a jolt of surprise pass through him as he deflected another ferocious blow. He had teased out her temper before when they were children, and it always ended badly. At this point, she stopped caring about hurting her opponent or even herself; she just wanted to _attack_.

"Well, you're useless to me curled up in your self-pity." All the noise around them stopped mattering, and Ladius could hear her footsteps in the dirt. He took a single deep breath, buckled down, and waited for her next charge, delivering a counter-attack that knocked her sideways. He thought that would buy him a little time, but it didn't.

She smacked him with the training weapon so hard, he felt the impact through his armor and actually heard the wooden sword splinter. He coughed and backpedalled, but she kept on him, no longer tapping for points but smashing again and again wherever she could. He fought through the pain and hit her back, but although she was more thinly armored, she didn't even seem to notice.

"Is that what it's all about now?" She demanded as she kept on him, matching his movements ferociously as the two danced around and around the arena. "You fucking traitor!"

Ladius should have been worried about the fight, but he was past the point of caring, as well. Old wounds were open and bleeding, and hatred he'd been nursing for some time burst free. It was a quieter thing than her rage but it also gave him the strength to move and attack, carrying on every time he was struck.

"It's the reason I haven't put you down like an animal yet, Valeria," He said to her, voice quiet and husky through deep breaths, but he knew she heard it because of her reaction. "Military necessity. If this was a just world you'd already answer for my men."

Ah, here it was. Even growing up, Ladius and Valeria had been polar opposites in many ways; where Valeria would air a problem openly in hopes of resolving it, Ladius would nurture, grow, and contain it. Being a soldier meant suppressing the self for service to a greater whole. That manifested very differently in the two generals.

With a sudden strike to one side, she tossed him from the boundaries of the arena, and leapt forward to keep hacking away, even though her sword was badly cracked and liable to start falling apart. At least the broken hilt would be sharp enough to inflict some real pain. "I've lost count, you son of a bitch."

"You're up now," Ladius replied, scrambling to his feet just in time to deflect her attack and falling back into the arena as quickly as he could move. Speed was never his asset in a conflict, though, and Valeria simply kept at him.

"Damn right I am," She screamed into his face as their blades met and they clashed, pressing against each other. "Want to know a secret, Ladius? We've both lost men in this fucking war!"

"But they could have lived," Ladius replied, grunting with effort as he pushed with everything he had. "You served the nobles, even Hailzen himself, after what they did. You attacked me, on their orders. You pursued us! You only woke up to the realities of the situation when you were the one they sacrificed!"

Valeria felt her grip slipping, and thought about withdrawing just long enough to toss him off-balance. Before she could do that, however, another voice to their side interrupted the fight. "Enough!" She recognized it as the onerthes gypsy, Vira-Lorr, one of Ellis and Winfield's old friends. Neither combatant heeded her words, until strong hands seized both of them and pulled them apart. She spat at the direction of the person holding her before she realized it was Arbol.

He was thin and young for his kind, but the ryulent were still effectively living trees, so even while enraged she wasn't going to get free unless she was willing to severely hurt him. "Look," his high voice said as tilted his head to deflect the spit. "Training is fine. Competition is fine. We can't have the two of you rip each other apart, however."

Ladius looked over and saw Vashtor was the one holding him back. One of his most trusted lieutenants, he'd been with him since Ladius had found him, injured, and brought him back to the capital to be healed. With little memory of his life before Ladius, he had entered faithful service into his royal house. His appearance was obviously tainted with strong magic, and he resembled Borgnine in some ways, a large, imposing, and dark figure.

Vashtor didn't say anything, he just shook his head. "They were on patrol when Winfield found them and told them you two were about to start going at it," Vira-Lorr said, voice a little on the haughty side. "I'm glad we got here. Yayoi, be a dear and come here! Make sure they're both okay, they were raining blows on each other."

After a tense moment or two, Ladius lowered his weapon and let out a breath. As though a switch was flipped, he winced from a throbbing pain in his chest and arms. He might as well not have been wearing steel armor, apparently, for all the good it did him. Blunt impacts were always roughest on heavily armored units, even though he'd been able to afford a lot of padding back when he was in good standing in Grugund.

He had thought the crowd noise getting quieter was just in his mind, a product of his focus and anger, but now he realized the rebel soldiers around the arena really were almost hushed after watching this display. He shook his head and called out as loudly as possible, "Alright! Who's up for the next round?"

To his honest surprise, Winfield himself emerged from the crowd, and the soldiers around him gave a cheer. The old rogue, cursed with the incredibly heavy burden of eternal youth and supernatural powers, had never seemed one for one-on-one fights, standing up, honesty, that sort of thing. His preferred weapon was a firelock after all.

If he was willing to draw off the attention of the masses and give them something else to stare at, though, he had the gratitude of all involved. Even Valeria had taken enough of a breather to realize she was tired, and sore, and not a fan of being visceral entertainment for the rebel troops.

"Who's your partner, Winfield?" Vira-Lorr asked, crossing her arms over her well-spun robes.

"I figured you would be able to 'see' that," He replied with a big grin. Of course, as long as they'd traveled together, he knew that her third eye had stopped working ever since she'd begun having visions of Leonhardt, the original Spirit Vessel. In fact, that was part of the reason that the seer signed on at all; sheer curiosity. Now, the motives keeping her around were far more complicated, but she'd never regained her ability to see the future.

"With times like these, nothing's certain," she replied with a shrug, moving her head a bit to get a bang of black hair out of her way. She didn't even wear her hair or a hat or anything to cover the third eye up, even though prejudice against onerthes wasn't unheard of back in Lucrellia. Ever since coming to Graccea, however, she'd become something of a curiosity.

"Fair enough. Arbol! Get over here!" Many of the men around the ring laughed and cheered at this. The very image of a man fighting a being with the consistency and height of a tree was crazy, even if they did agree to weapons.

The ryulent glanced between Valeria and Ladius, but she shook her head. "It's over. Go." He shrugged, glanced at Vashtor, and then backed off into the arena.

"Name your weapon," Arbol called out, cracking his knuckles. The noise was particularly loud. "As long as it's not 'guns'."

"I would never, sir! I was thinking hammers." Winfield had just chosen Arbol's weapon of choice, in fact. The sheer unmitigated gall of the man had a lot of the observers back on their heels, and laughter still came from the crowd. It wasn't necessarily that they didn't give him a shot to win the fight, but the absurdity level was rising.

Yayoi cast a few spells off the top of her head, using her incredible and natural aptitude for healing to smooth bruising and blunt trauma. She was amazed and rather intimidated by the damage they could hand out with specifically non-lethal weaponry. "Ladius-sama, Valeria-sama, perhaps we should retire to my tent, I have a few pain remedies there."

"Very well," Ladius nodded. "Don't tell Sherufanir, though. A personal favor."

0-0

Fyuria looked at him over her mug, eyes dark and narrow. "You know, using a crying child in that way… emotional manipulation isn't going to convince me you've turned over a new leaf."

Leo enjoyed how even a few cups of this cheap, local brew made what was left of his pain melt away. It spoke of an older, and more traditional form of healing than elven magic. "You beat up a child's friend and she's bound to cry." He signaled the overworked waitress even though he was far from empty. "Besides, being a general means using manipulation; it's one of the most critical tools of the trade. Getting allies and enemies alike to do what you want them to do."

"I've never met a human with your attitude, you know. You have my ear, for the moment."

"Thank you. I know you've got particular problems with humans..."

"Only Gridamas soldiers," she interjected.

"… and I'm not going to ask you why specifically. It's not that hard to get the general idea, though. Nobody can blame you for that. The one thing this war's guaranteed to make more of, day after day, is bitter, grieving, angry victims."

"If you know that, why did you agree to ship out here and fight for the Empire?"

"Because until I got to the Frontier and saw what was really happening, all I had was uplifting propaganda, cultural bias, and a lot of family baggage. That nice, soft padding didn't last, and in a few months I started to realize what a huge mistake I'd made. I fucked up. I have a lot of days where I rethink what I did. Turning your back on your homeland isn't the sort of shit one does on a whim and a snap decision… until it is, and it's done, and you're screwed."

"My heart goes out to you, 'Golden Leo'. It really does."

"I was hoping for understanding more than sympathy."

"Maybe I understand a little more than you think. 'The fruit of wickedness is rotten, no matter the virtue of its grower or picker. Eating of it makes you rot. If a man lives by wicked fruit and loses it, he deserves that, no matter the cause. Whether it was because he was struck by the righteous, betrayed by his peers, saw the light and turned his heart around'…"

Leo blinked. "Elric. You've read him?"

"Gridamas authors were widely taught in North Lucrellia before the Invasion," she replied, taking another sip, careful not to fall too far into her drink to blunt her mind. "Your country was the heart of culture for everyone, especially humans, and then we all saw what you were really like."

"'Capable of atrocities and miracles, sometimes simultaneously'?"

"He did have a way with words."

"I gave up a shelf full of Elric and his fellows for this suicide mission against the Empire, you know."

"Now I'm really moved."

"I thought so. Look, I actually have a proposal, and a request. Proposal first; I've gotten news through the local resistance contacts about your brother." She sat up, setting down her mug. "Zerva is alive and kicking. Maybe kicking too hard. He's planning an assault on Zelzagun Fortress with every man who will follow. That's five thousand, max."

"My brother was always a courageous leader," she said, sounding a little different than Leo had ever heard. "He's fighting every day against Gridamas and inspiring others to do the same."

"I've heard that, too. Your brother can't take that fortress, not with five thousand. That isn't my opinion, that is military fact. Last I knew, Gridamas had at least three times that number of men posted to the garrison. Happening to be on the side of justice and freedom isn't going to take those walls."

"If it were so hopeless, why wouldn't Zerva's staff and officers try to talk him out of it?"

Leo shrugged. "I wouldn't know; we weren't there for the meetings. All I know is that, according to the messenger from the front, his force may already be on the move. That means we've got very little time to get there and head this disaster off. So, are you in?"

Fyuria blinked a few times. "What, accompany you all the way to Zelzagun Fortress?" She'd agreed to help lead the refugees from the doomed town of Mimas to Puteaux, in the north, which meant coming along with his group that far. Now that she was there, she'd been planning on heading back towards the fight, and at this news she definitely wanted to go south again. "Why would I agree to join up with you, Leonhardt?"

"I'm placing my bet as to your character," he admitted. "We found you fighting overwhelming, even suicidal odds by yourself at Mimas. You were keeping that entire force so focused on the psychotic syrium girl that they couldn't catch and slaughter the townsfolk. You even agreed to escort them to safe harbor here. That says something admirable about your character."

She didn't acknowledge the compliment, but her cheeks, slightly flushed from the drinking, reddened a bit.

"So I figure you'd want to stop a disaster that's likely to send hundreds or thousands of rebel soldiers to an early grave on its own merits. If that's not interesting enough, well, you probably want to see your brother and help him out, too. It would be safer to stick together, especially as we approach the frontlines."

Fyuria considered for a few moments and finished off her drink. "Very well. I will walk with you, and when we get to my brother, I'll try and convince him. For the sake of the Frontier, not you. Being in your group will also help me keep an eye out for any trickery."

"Fair enough," Leo nodded. "Thank you."

She held up her empty mug and Leo flagged down the waitress for another round, on him, of course. He hardly had money to toss around after being separated from what remained of his family wealth in Gridamas, but this expense wasn't hard to write off as necessary. Sober, she may not have agreed to come along, and he felt a momentary temptation to get it in writing. '_No. That would piss her off worse. Better to roll with it_.'

Leo was no longer worried about her in terms of a knife in the back, although she hadn't ruled out that possibility yet. By itself, he didn't mind that she would be watching him for signs to confirm what she already thought about his loyalties and motives. It would even be a chance to impress her that he was on the level, and ready and able to help the Frontier in its struggle for survival. '_As though I have a choice; alone I've got no hope of toppling an entire damned Empire_.'

'_I just hope I'm worth her loyalty, if I ever get it_.'

0-0

Ladius tried not to wince as Yayoi dabbed something just below his left cheek, leaning in close enough to do it that he got the strong scent of flowers. If he were more inclined to knowing about flowers, he might have even been able to identify the smell. Usually, getting this close to her made her shy, but today, she was even more withdrawn and stoic than usual.

'_Too good for this world_,' he mused fondly. '_Raised simple, and honest. She would have walked to her death gladly until we arrived at Yamato_.' His destiny set him apart from absolutely everyone in the world, even Dyshana, but in Yayoi he saw a great deal of himself. '_I wonder if she welcomed the purpose in her life, or ever wanted more than her lot_.' The two things would have seemed contradictory until one was in their position.

Whatever the case may have been, Ladius could at least say that revealing the Old Yamato Republic's false god, and striking down the terrible larval beast that had been accepting the sacrifices, had been something he didn't regret for a moment. Every tine he saw Yayoi, he had a living, breathing reminder that all his efforts had not been in vain.

He couldn't say the same for Valeria, however. She sat patiently on one of the small medical cots, nursing her right arm and rubbing it as though that would soothe the pain. After everything the two of them had gone through, from childhood until their two titanic battles, the only word that could possibly describe his feelings was 'complicated'.

'Angry' probably worked, too. Their eyes met again, staring right over Yayoi as she worked, quick and professional.

"Oh!" The priestess let out a sigh. "I believe I forgot to retrieve some of my supplies from Ellis-sama. Please, stay here, I won't be more than a few minutes, and we can relieve some of this bruising permanently." She moved pretty fast to get out of the tent, more likely than not due to its atmosphere.

Thus, the two of them were alone. Vashtor had quickly abandoned them at Ladius' request; the fight was over, and both of them knew that. Neither general had beaten the other, or even really hurt their opponent, but breaking into another fight so quickly would only tank what little morale and discipline they had been building up in their army.

Neither of them spoke immediately. The silence hung around and between them like a tangible thing, and minutes ticked by. Finally, Valeria spoke up. "She likes you, you know."

Well, he hadn't been expecting that to be the first thing out of her mouth. He blinked a few times. "Yayoi?" she nodded. "Well, of course she…. You mean, like as in 'fond of'." Despite all of his education and wit and whatever else he'd managed to inherit from his father, sometimes people had to point out the obvious before he could see it.

Now that somebody said it out loud, he couldn't really argue. She certainly acted like a shrinking violet most of the time around him. Valeria actually cracked a bit of a smile. "Great with a sword, but sometimes you're still so dense. Especially about women, apparently."

"You've certainly cooled down quickly."

"Well, I've been doing a bit of thinking since the fight stopped. I think I really know what's got you so pissed. Worse than I'd ever seen you before." Ladius felt his shoulders stiffen, and knew on some visceral level that he wasn't going to like this little revelation.

"I thought I've made that clear already, General."

"Yeah, I heard what you said about your men. I know you well enough to know you meant it, but let's be honest. Men die in war, and I've certainly lost my share in this one. We all lose men, that's what it means to command. There's more." She leaned forward, still looking straight into his eyes. Not with really an amused expression; she seemed more clinical, detached. "The worst thing I've done so far has been to betray you personally, is that right? Violating your trust and interfering with your destiny… those are the crimes you really can't forgive."

His face settled into a dark visage, a deep frown on his normally young face as he reacted to this, first by a new flare of outrage. "And yet you called me the traitor out there, and presumed to lecture me on loyalty."

"You tell me a word that fits better, then. After being implicated in criminal charges, you break out of jail forcefully and being entire legions into desertion with you. Grugund men, following in your wake without a second thought to the consequences if they were recaptured. A lot of them followed you all the way to their deaths, as you keep reminding me. Yes, I did press on, yes, I did take the orders of a truly evil man. I took up arms against you."

She continued, "But you know what? It takes two to dance, General. You could have surrendered, or at least agreed to a parlay. I wanted to bring you back alive, I never had any intention to kill you… even in the Andorra mountains later." Except, of course, that which her fiery temper declared, egged on by the cunning Sherufanir. "With both of us, we had a chance to sort things out."

"No, we really didn't. The few good men in the nobility are busy enough keeping their own power and heads intact with Hailzen running rampant, they couldn't afford to extend themselves further and help me. So, without Sherufanir's help and my men and my retainers, I would have rotted in that prison for Gods-know-how-long. I couldn't allow that, Valeria. I couldn't allow you to derail my destiny, no matter what the cost. You knew that."

"Ah. So, I was right, then." She didn't seem particularly happy that she was on the mark. "Your destiny… now I know, enough at least to understand it. You certainly never said anything, never gave any clue. All I saw was an old friend, a fugitive going mad and dragging a lot of soldiers down with him."

Silence fell over them again, but this time it was shorter. Ladius shook his head and let out a deep sigh. "It feels like forever since I just… sat down." He found a seat on a cot opposite to her, groaning as he took some of the weight of his armored form off of his feet. "I'm tired, Valeria." It was clear neither of them were going to give up, to grovel and beg for forgiveness in this matter.

"Yeah. I'm tired too," she replied, leaning back. "So, what?"

"I don't know." Ladius was normally the last person in the world to be so frank about the unknowns of a situation, but right now, the future was clouded to him when it came to him and Valeria. He couldn't just abandon or forget any part of his memories, and that left him twisted up inside. The only solace he found was that she felt the same way. "Gods. We've both fucked up. Nobody's denying that."

He glanced towards the open flap of the tent and saw that the sun was going to set in an hour, at most. "Daybreak tomorrow, we pack up and march for the capital, and we don't stop until we're in the 'Grand Duke's throne room." He paused. "We're closing in on the end now."

"Yes, sir," she replied, and then broke out laughing, even though it ended up hurting her side. "Fuck. I'm going to fuck that man with my spear."

"See that you do."


	5. The Mountain Pass

**A/N**: _Well I guess when inspiration hits, it hits sometimes. I can take months to churn out a chapter, or even years (see Arcadia fanfic) or I can pound it out in days, and it's entirely dependent on my muse. I didn't plan, and probably still don't, to turn this into a full novelization but it may very well become that after chapters like this one. Overall, I'm quite happy with the way things have turned out._

_This chapter doesn't contain smut or fluff; it's an action chapter, about the battle at the Dunan Garrison which happens relatively early in the First Generation. Choosing the way Leo does as opposed to Zerva's suggestion is part of the True Ending Path, incidentally, because it triggers a series of events and sends shockwaves through this entire section of the game._

* * *

><p><strong>The Mou<strong>**ntain Pass**

_First Generation_

Leonhardt

* * *

><p>Now involved closely with the struggle to liberate the Frontier, Leonhardt had gathered friends and allies to his cause. Whether this made up for all the enemies he'd made, and the continued suspicions of his new friends, was a matter best left for future historians. As a pawn of the Empire, he had thought its victory nearly inevitable; now that he opposed it, his opinion was largely the same. Without something to shake up the equation, things looked grim.<p>

So, he'd called together his companions to discuss a decision he was about to make. "As I recall, Gridamas had invested substantial force in plugging up every mountain pass between the two halves of North Lucrellia, to prevent even the easy exchange of messages with the Kingdom of Rigulus." Zelzagun Fortress, the site of the latest rebel defeat, was only the most formidable of those posts.

The syrium elf responsible for that defeat stood among Leo's allies now, and spoke up, approaching the table. "Before now, I saw little need to contact Rigulus at all. It's clear they are too cowardly to stand against Gridamas aggression." Zerva was big for an elf, with rippling, powerful muscles wrapped in a flattering black suit of leather armor. His hair was a dark, pale blue that flowed long; Leo hadn't met an elf yet with short hair. He was one of the top rebel commanders, demanding the respect of all the elves of the Frontier, and Leo admired his appearance and personal combat skills far more than his generalship.

"Time is not on our side in this war," The fortune teller Vira-Lorr pronounced, leaning against the wall. Her powers as an onerthes had faded over time, however; in fact, all of her visions of the future had eventually narrowed into visions of Leo himself. That had been enough to convince her to join his adventure, despite the dangers.

"I've met the King of Rigulus and he is, above all, a calculating man. He must know on some level that staying out of this until we're crushed will only sabotage his chances for peace in the long term..." Like many non-humans, she looked far younger than she really was, although it was doubtful Leo would ever learn her true age. She dressed in exotic silk, like a wandering gypsy.

Ellis seemed content to stay out of the conversation, the young elf listening but really having little to offer. Her guardian, Borgnine, stood tall and silent beside her. "I don't suppose either of you could offer an opinion?" Leo asked, already knowing the answer. It was important to value input from others, though; a commander's duty demanded nothing less. Both of them shook their heads, and it was clear Borgnine was imitating his master's mannerism. That got a small smile from the disgraced general.

He'd expected that Dyshana might have something to say about his plans to contact Rigulus, but, as with many practical or strategic matters, she had left things entirely in his hands. "I have not been in this place long enough to offer an opinion," she had told the others, and Leo knew just how true that was. She hadn't even been a physical person until their contract, as far as he could tell. She didn't like to talk about herself.

Zerva's sister Fyuria was with them, as well, and was possibly the only reason Zerva or any of his troops were convinced to fall back and consolidate. As he knew from personal experience, she was a formidable warrior in her own right, and although she sometimes shared his tendency towards being hot-headed and rash, she looked contemplative now. "I suppose we're running out of options, anyway. It may be worth a shot. How will we get to Rigulus if Gridamas guards every path?"

Leo tried to keep an open mind about other races and cultures, but Fyuria's favored outfit was literally nothing more than several black belts, barely enough for modesty's sake. Not that her thin body and flawless skin wasn't nice to look at, of course, but such thoughts would serve him ill when she already seemed ready to hate his guts and her brother's opinion of him was about the same. The two of them made an excellent team.

She was no longer refusing to speak with him, although what she did say almost made him long for the silent treatment. Leo couldn't really say much back to her, either; his people had inflicted unimaginable suffering upon the Frontier, and given it little but tragedy. He felt like he'd been asleep or even dead when he'd served Gridamas as a general, and now he'd woken up. It was nice to be awake, but it didn't wash him clean of sin.

All he could do was keep in mind what Ellis' grandfather had told him. It seemed like it was so long ago, but in truth it had been barely a month since the day that the legendary Golden Leo had died.

"If everyone agrees… I may know of a way." All eyes turned to Zerva. "Friends of the resistance are everywhere, even if they cannot openly show their support for fear of reprisals. We can go north and book a friendly boat around the enemy's defenses."

Fyuria seemed enchanted with the idea of a sea cruise, having lived inland her whole life in forests and towns. "Brother, that sounds like a great idea. It'll be faster than walking anyway, right?" Normally she tried to be at least reserved, if not hostile, but her big bro was the big exception to that rule.

The fortune teller cut in, however, shaking her head and closing her eyes. The two human ones shut, at least; her third one, prominent on her forehead, didn't, though it did occasionally blink. "I'm afraid that it might not be. Conditions on the northern seas this time of year are poor. Monsters are more frequent since the locals can't patrol past the coastline. It wouldn't be pleasant; we could actually make the walk much quicker, assuming there were no mountains or soldiers to get in our way."

"Normally I would never turn down the opportunity to attack Gridamas," Zerva said, and he locked eyes with Leo. "I know you would hold me responsible for Zelzagun because of it, Leonhardt, but my people are warriors first and strategists later. Even so, few men would follow us on a mission to grovel before Rigulus, so it would be our party against these garrisons."

"True," Leo admitted, bobbing his head, and everybody in the room could hear the 'but' coming. "But since you brought it up, Zelzagun may very well have broken the Frontier's will to resist. First Erendale, then the raids in your rear areas including, of course, Mimas, and now the Fortress… this rebellion was only kept alive by the support of the population. Even a token of real alliance from Rigulus could have a huge impact back home."

Zerva was not in much of a mood to listen to Leo, and raised his voice. "You talk of the people of the Frontier as though you were from here. You aren't; we needed to do more than defend and react to the enemy's movements, I took the actions that would lead to-"

"Please," Dyshana cut in, voice low and even. "If our time is running out, let us spend it productively. Leonhardt, what do you propose to do instead of taking to the water?" Both siblings looked a little mutinous but something about Dyshana made them cautious.

Leo stared at the map for several moments, and then murmured, "We bust through Imperial defenses at their weakest point." Before any protests, he planted a spare dagger on what looked like solid rock near the coast. "The garrison at Dunan is smaller than any of the more common routes. Once we're through, the coastal roads will take us all the way to Rigulus' capital." He looked up and shook his head. "I don't like it any more than you do, but time is of the essence here. We've shown we can fight Gridamas before, even with the odds against us."

Others looked like they wanted to speak, specifically Dyshana and Fyuria, but Zerva simply stared at Leo, face hard and eyes opaque. He'd almost gotten used to that look from the elven general, and if there was anything he'd learned so far, it was not to back down. The room got very quiet and very tense for a few moments.

Finally, Zerva nodded. "I don't agree, but I will go with you. If we can make it through, I want the Frontier's true interests represented to Rigulus." He backed off, a little bit.

Leo looked over to Fyuria and she let out a sigh. "I can't abandon you, brother," she said to Zerva and shook her head subtly. "So if you'll follow him still, then so will I. So we bust the garrison. When do we set out for the pass at Dunan?"

Looking up at the grandfather clock in the room, Leo realized they inn they were staying in was pretty nice, as far as Frontier accommodations went. It was barely past noon already, and lunch was still settling in their stomachs. "Let's get packed up. I see no reason to delay leaving until tomorrow. If we move through the night we can reach Dunan within three days."

Without further objections, he called his little council of war to a close and went to go collect the few things that now belonged to him. His weapons and clothing made up the bulk of his gear, along with some dried rations. The only thing that now evidenced his love of literature, art and poetry was a single blank notebook he'd purchased from some backwater general store. If he had to pick a single thing he missed about Gridamas more than anything else, it very well could have been his collection of books and poetry.

Since arriving at the Frontier, he'd found himself less and less able to write at all, except for correspondence or official paperwork. After his defection, the situation had largely remained the same, still plagued by unhappy dreams, although they now took many forms, and still unable to produce any lines of his own.

The only thing he could think to write now was a simple journal. He'd already laid out the events of the past month in a broad overview, sketching notes as though he was laying out a prospective story. He'd set the tone for the journal early, with the very first entry. '_Leonhardt Raglan died on this date, but did not rest in peace. Pledged my unlife, my nonexistent honor, and my lost fortunes to Dyshana's cause. Whatever the hell it is. She also wants my kids. In exchange I'm going to topple Gridamas with my bare goddamn hands_.'

'_Found Ellis and nearly got into a fight with her guardian. She doesn't know how she summoned the big guy, but I'm glad she found the strength or magic or whatever. I went through a lot of trouble to get back to her and still wasn't fast enough to help. He doesn't care about anything but her, but that's fine. He'll fight_.'

'_The sinister machinations of the boulder have been ended by our glorious party. Days into my new life and I'm already a hero_.'

'_Sorely tempted to abandon grand mission and fate of all life, spend rest of my own in Ellis' hometown of Alfheim in peace and riches. Expressed sentiments along these lines to Dyshana. She wasn't happy_.'

"It wouldn't have lasted, anyway," he murmured aloud to himself as he regarded the neat, if a little uneven, ink handwriting. "Unless we put an end to this it'll go on, and on, until every elf, every syrium, every goddamn onerthes is dead." Mercifully, a knock at his door interrupted his musings. "Hm. Just a moment!"

On his way to the door, he took one last idiot-walk around his accommodations to make sure all of his gear was packed and he was squared away. He was surprised to find Dyshana waiting in the hallway outside. "Ah? Hello, Dyshana."

She nodded to him. "Leonhardt. The syrium girl has been on your mind of late." He blinked a few times. He was pretty sure he hadn't expressed sentiments in that direction to anyone, especially not Dyshana.

Denying it certainly wasn't going to work, so instead, he backed up. "Come in, please. Have a seat." After a moment, she nodded, closing the door behind her and sitting in his desk-chair after he pulled it out. "Should I bother asking how you know what's on my mind?" She didn't answer. "Very well. What of it?"

"There is a reason for it. A reason that transcends the usual ones a man would have for thinking about a woman." She stared at him in that way she always did, straight into his eyes, never blinking and barely even moving at all. It didn't help the disconcerting conversation.

"Really?" With anybody else, he would have been skeptical, but after everything that happened so far, he was pretty much prepared to take her word as the Gods' truth.

"Yes. I know that you have wondered about it ever since we met her at Mimas." That day wasn't too far in the past; he still vividly remembered wading through burning wreckage and bodies to find a single survivor fighting off entire squads of Imperial troops, screaming bloody defiance. Without Leo and his group to intervene, he was pretty sure she would have been overwhelmed and killed that day.

"You have many questions, whether you have asked me yet or not, and to many you may never receive an answer. For now, however, know that something is coming. Soon. Because of your choices and our course, this journey will take us to another remarkable individual, a woman in white with blonde hair. She will take up arms in our struggle against the dark. When we find her, I will talk more fully of this matter."

He took a few moments, looked down at his bags, and then back to Dyshana. "Your ability to prophesy reminds me of Vira-Lorr's reputation, back when she could 'see'."

She shook her head gently, and her beautiful teal hair flowed like silk. "I know many things, but most of my knowledge and experience does not pertain to your world, Leonhardt, or your struggle. When I look at you, I see visions, possibilities. Few absolutes. As a Spirit Vessel you have already shattered your true fate."

He smiled. "With your help. I know I don't act like it sometimes, but I am grateful, Dyshana. Whatever your reasons, whatever you choose to tell me or keep to yourself, it's all fine, because I've got a second chance."

She blinked, once, and then glanced over towards his belongings. "You've finished packing up. Let us go, then." Without another word, she took her leave, and he shouldered his bags and followed her down the hallway.

Ellis' room was situated near the stairwell that led to the first floor, and as Leo was passing by the open door, he spotted Borgnine busily packing. He smiled a bit as he looked over the elegant dresses and staffs that she had recovered from her family when they had sought harbor in Alfheim. Everyone else wanted to travel as light as possible, as the party was going to be on the move constantly, but Borgnine bore the burden without the slightest complaint. Then again, he looked like a statue and the weight was probably a feather to him.

The youthful elf noticed him, as he had paused outside, and jumped off the bed, running over and throwing the door open. "Leo!" She ran towards him and he hastily dropped his bags, grateful he wasn't carrying anything overly fragile, so his arms would be free to catch her.

"What's up?" He asked, hugging her close. Ever since his return, she had treated him more like a brother than Golden Leo The Human, and there was always a great deal of comfort in that. Every time his party went into a battle, even against the random beasts of the wilderness, he guarded her almost as jealously as Borgnine himself. Normally, she was a little more reserved than this, however; he suspected this adventure was actually doing her some good.

She didn't answer for a few moments, just holding herself close to him. Eventually, she waved towards her room. "We're almost ready to go."

"Don't feel too rushed; we have to square our rent with the innkeeper and measure our supplies before we depart." He patted her pink hair and she giggled. "Hey. I know it's selfish, but I appreciate you coming along with me, Ellis." His new life had started with her, really, and in such a short span of time, he'd grown to rely on having her around whenever things got heavy.

Ellis nodded. "Dyshana told me that you're going to stop the war, Leo. You're going to save everybody. I want to be with you as long as I can. I want to help, even though I'm not very powerful yet."

He bent his knees a little to keep them from locking up and let out a sigh. He still wasn't precisely used to a lot of traveling, but talking with Dyshana and now Ellis had left him feeling a little more alive. "It's going to be a tough time. Dangerous, too."

She shrugged and let go of him, bouncing on her heels a bit. "I know! I'm not worried, though. I've got Borgnine, and I've got you, and the others." She poked his sleeve, about where one of his bruises had been; he didn't even feel pain at the touch, now. "You get hurt more than I do, anyway. Since you can't do magic I'll have to take care of you."

"Fair enough." He glanced back at Dyshana, who was looking at the pair from halfway down the stairs. "So we're in this together, until the end."

0-0

The fighting along the Frontier was so intense and widespread that Gridamas occupied a much larger territory than it could effectively hold down. By avoiding the main roads and sending up no campfires, they escaped Imperial patrols and effectively slid past the bulk of the enemy's forces in the region. In fact, their only resistance as they moved north was the monster population. 'Monster' was probably a misleading name; wolves and tricky faeries were the worst they encountered, dispatched easily and quietly to avoid attention. Leo had specifically asked Vira-Lorr, Zerva, and Ellis to avoid using their spells.

Once they left the beaten path completely and departed towards the mountain pass, they could move openly, for few knew of the garrison at Dunan. By Leo's memory, no more than two hundred reservists held the post, which was comprised of wooden palisades to stop convoys and horses. '_Yeah, just two hundred soldiers to less than ten armed effectives_.'

They didn't have to wipe out the enemy, or even defeat them really; all he had to do was get his group through the encampment. They might be pursued, but he actually wasn't too worried about that. Any officer on such a remote assignment wasn't going to test their luck by striking out and abandoning post, even to chase an important target.

The group came within striking distance of the Dunan garrison quicker than Leo had predicted, and they had risked being spotted by the sentries before taking cover in the sparse forests to either side of the pass. They had climbed a fair bit to get to this point and left the thickest tree growth behind them. The trees only thinned out until a stark wasteland stood before the palisade walls and proud banners.

"It's a nice position," Zerva admitted as he peered through his field glass, itself scavenged from a Gridamas captain some time ago. "The pass is relatively narrow, that's why it's not commonly known; the road up to it is poorly kept. They only had to build a small camp to completely choke it off."

"Getting any closer without being spotted is going to be tough," Vira-Lorr opined. "There's little ahead but a few rocks and hardy trees, hardly fit to hide a man."

"I can do it," Fyuria said quietly, staring up ahead at their target even though she didn't have a glass to look through. "Brother, give me your equipment and I can get close enough to recon the base."

Leo frowned. The garrison was likely to be completely unprepared to face anything but a lone traveler or two, and if Fyuria was detected, they could put the entire force on alert. Even so, he didn't really see any better options; the syrium was experienced in finesse, knew an impressive amount about the military and Gridamas Army, and was thin enough to cover behind small hills or rocks. "It's up to you, then. Look for the troops on watch; their numbers, habits, if they have archers posted, where the officers are." Seeing into the camp itself over or through the wall was impossible, unfortunately, given the high ground it occupied. He knew how Gridamas typically set up a long-term post such as that, however. It was better than going in blind. "Try to figure out how the gate mechanism operates, too."

She nodded, and he was surprised that she didn't say anything back to him. It was a step forward if she was willing to listen, at least. After Zerva surrendered mapping paper, ink, and his field glass, she stashed it in a pack and quickly set out while the others set down their gear and prepared to make camp.

The group hadn't exactly been forcing the march, but their pace had been pretty quick all the same, to avoid beasts as well as enemy forces. Leo, Vira-Lorr, and Ellis were particularly tired after most of a day's worth of walking, and they were eager to dig into their rations as the sky turned red and orange.

While the party dug in, Leo took the chance to speak with them. "I confess, taking the sea route may have been the smarter choice, and certainly the easier." Zerva nodded a bit. "Every day the north remains separate and Rigulus holds itself apart, our cause dies a little, though."

"I will admit that," the other general said, glancing back in the direction Fyuria had disappeared to. She was currently completely out of sight from their camp. "We aren't out of the fight, yet."

"Even more reason to hurry and secure an alliance," Leo replied. "Busting this garrison is going to be tricky and, most likely, very dangerous. We aren't going to be able to avoid a rough fight. The most important things to remember about the attack are, one, keep together at all costs, and two, keep moving at all costs. The longer this goes, the more likely they will just overwhelm us with bodies. We get in, rip through, and leave again. No particular heroics, no revenge, nothing but moving your feet. Ellis, you might want to consider having Borgnine carry you to keep the pace up."

"I will find it very difficult to fight like that," Borgnine said, the only one who wasn't taking the chance to at least eat a bit.

"Ah, right. Hadn't thought of that, you're probably our heaviest asset physically. We'll have to go a bit slower, then." He noticed the look on Ellis' face. "I'm not saying you're slow, either."

"Sorry I'm not older," She huffed.

Hours passed and Zerva and Leo were growing worried when she emerged out of the inky darkness. "Well, we know they're stupid and lazy," she remarked, brushing dust and dirt off of her otherwise beautiful skin. "I messed up a few times and they never even caught sight of me."

"Glad to hear it," Leo grinned. "I saw you grab some rations, have you eaten?" She nodded. "Okay, good. Let's not put this off until morning; a night attack is perfect for this sort of thing. For the fight itself. I'll take point, follow my lead. Golden sword, easy to follow." He took a stick and began to draw in the dirt.

"I'm 1. Fyuria, with me in the front as 2. Ellis, you're 3, center of the group with Vira-Lorr, 4, and Dyshana, 5. Fling your spells and keep us supported. Borgnine, you're 6, on the right. You'll be holding that entire flank. Zerva, likewise on the left as 7. You'll have to act as the rear guard when they get behind us. Use as much of your fire magic as possible, try to catch tents and wood on fire and sow some chaos."

"With pleasure," He replied with a solemn nod.

"Anybody gets hit, keep moving, yell 'medic!' top of your lungs. It's going to be chaos in there. Ladies, keep them moving with your magic, keep them on their feet. I know healing isn't anybody's particular specialty here but it's a lot better than bandages and prayer." They nodded, even Dyshana, although Leo wasn't sure what level of help she could render. From what they'd discussed already, he gathered that she'd poured a majority of her energy into just keeping him alive and kicking.

"If you see somebody go down, grab them and drag if you have to. We've not leaving anybody behind and we're not staying in the middle of a Gridamas camp. Stay together. If we divide up we're all so far beyond screwed. Focus on holding off the enemy from our backs but charging through them in the front, and moving forward. Things are going to be loud in there, so when I yell an order, Fyuria, I want you to echo me."

"So we place our blind faith in a Gridamas defector," Zerva brooded.

"Why stop now?" Leo drew his weapon, which showed up well in the darkness even if it didn't shine as it did under the sun. "Pack it up and get ready. We hit them now." Fyuria's recon had discovered that the enemy tested their gate mechanism and raised it several times a day, including soon. Standard protocol forbade that sort of thing, and Leo was about to show them why. Everybody grabbed their gear and packed it up, breaking camp and readying their weapons.

The group settled into formation with Leonhardt on point, moving first at a walk, and then quickly speeding up until they were jogging straight uphill and towards the outpost. He kept his eyes on the wall, using the field glass to scan for sentries; he saw a few, and quickly observed their surprised reaction to seeing them through the oily near-darkness. The moon had barely had time to rise and was casting little of its ethereal light. "They've seen us," he announced. Not unexpected. Now it all depended on their reaction time.

Several of the Gridamas soldiers stood there, spending precious time gawking or looking through their own glasses at Leo's party. He saw at least one vanish from sight, heading into the fort presumable to give his report, however. "Okay, first goal is to get into the gate before they shut it," he yelled even through the strain and heaving breathing. "Move it, everyone."

He saw the mechanisms began to move and whir as they got close, bits of metal grinding along and causing the huge planks of the gate to slowly slip downwards. The group moved with a purpose, however, and scattered arrow fire from atop the wall falling around them didn't deter them or even slow them down.

"When we get in, move to the left," Leo ordered. "Immediately." The group passed under the gate while it was still nearly half-open, and only Borgnine had to bend down to fit in. At his direction, they immediately adjusted their path, taking shelter behind a few tents and boxes as more arrows flew past.

"Halt!" Rough voices, shouted with authority, now reached them. "Come out and surrender!"

With little breath left for a caustic reply, Leo merely motioned to his group to move up, weaving between tents and shoving unarmed soldiers, emerging in confusion, to either side. Zerva tossed a few choice fireballs into tents, setting people and property ablaze and quickly blanketing the area with choking, oily smoke. An alarm bell began to ring out as they moved through the relatively small camp. It was longer than it was wide, however.

"Gate ahead, turn right," Leo shouted and Fyuria echoed him, causing the group to move with some cohesion. They didn't have the snap and polish of professional military units, but under the circumstances they were doing quite well. At his urging, they emerged into an open area and caught sight of the opposite palisade ahead, including the gate, which had closed entirely and barred their escape.

"Incoming," Zerva reported, gripping his staff tightly as he heard an arrow whistle past. "Enemy units on watch."

"What now?" Fyuria demanded as the group continued straight for the closed gate. The watchmen on that wall climbed down and drew their blades, at least a squad strong, and ready to fight. Enemies from within the camp were beginning to stir, as well. Once they reached the wall their backs would be against it and with no place to go.

"Vira-Lorr and Zerva, get to work on the gate," Leo huffed. "Hinges, either side. Mechanisms. Weak points. Borgnine can knock it down." The guardian huffed as he measured up the task; the wooden logs making up the gate were at least fifteen feet high and one or two wide, big, solid material. "We'll hold them off."

Leo put on a burst of speed as they came near the wall, charging right into the enemy sentries with the intent to kill, putting all doubts and regrets out of his mind. The reservists were clearly trained more with their bows than short swords, and his sword had fatally wounded two of them by the time Fyuria caught up and blindsided a third with both of her knives in his gut.

Ellis summoned up all of her emotions into her staff and sent it out in an impulse wave that kicked up dust as it skipped along the ground and finally slammed into two more of the guards, sending them flying like dolls. The light from the spell flashed in the darkness like a thunderbolt. At her direction, Borgnine charged into the remaining three and sent them scattering with a beastly roar.

Vira-Lorr stepped forward immediately, drawing her own short sword, enchanted with an ancient language of runes. Zerva joined her, and they took a moment to look over the gate. "I'll take the left side," Zerva said, raising his transparent staff and summoning up another burst of fire towards one of the hinges.

While the two of them went to town on the defenses, the rest of the group tightened up around them, facing back into the camp, where they could see many figures moving. The fires set by Zerva were already being fought but a few still burned and visibility into most of the camp was poor, but Leo could see figures moving straight for them.

They only had a brief moment to rest before the enemy set upon them, coming in waves of bodies, soldiers freshly woken up and often not fully armored or equipped but desperate to stop them. Leo and Fyuria moved up to give the mages some breathing room, taking on multiple adversaries blade-to-blade. The disgraced nobleman took a direct approach, almost dueling with individuals but quickly striking them down, while the syrium woman moved impossibly fast, literally running circles around the enemy and striking vulnerable points with no mercy. In darkness, accuracy and even determining where an opponent was at any particular moment were heavily impeded, and Leo cursed himself for failing to wait until daylight.

Carefully aimed spells supported them, however, and funneled enemies away from their flanks, sending bodies flying or setting them on fire and forcing them to stop and drop or cook alive. The light from the spellcasting, both at the gate and in the battle, made conditions easier, but also lit them off like a flare to every enemy.

Meeting such a lethal resistance quickly broke this charge and sent survivors falling back into the camp and beneath the cover of the smoke and poorly-aimed arrow fire. Every time a few shots came sailing in, one of the mages retaliated with a lethal spell, and soon the archery slackened off. The group had bought themselves a little room to breathe.

Leo wiped his sword as he'd done so many times in the past and regarded the fallen soldiers. He didn't allow himself to dwell on it, yet, but he knew that this moment would give him nightmares. Some of the troops didn't even have half of their armor, and to his horror he noticed a few were unarmed.

Fyuria had noticed this, too, getting closer to him. "Why?" She asked, huffing and puffing after all the acrobatics she'd just pulled. "Why would they attack without even their basic equipment?"

"I don't know for sure, but I've got a simple guess; desperation. They can't just allow us to pass through without tossing everything they've got. If they do, their superiors will know their failure." He glanced over at her. "Oftentimes that was far worse than dying an honorable death in battle."

"You were like this?" She asked, glancing again towards the carnage around them.

"Never. I was the exception, however. Most commanding officers would punish this kind of failure harshly, lethally."

"And yet you fought for this Empire, led its soldiers, attacked the Frontier for months," Fyuria said, and Leo wasn't sure if it was a simple statement or a question. He heard honest disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, I did, and I was a fool." He glanced towards the gate. "What's the situation back there?"

Borgnine crashed against the gate again, bringing considerable mass and force to bear against the wooden logs. It rattled a little, but held firm against him. "This wall is far stronger than the men who guard it," Vira-Lorr replied. "We're making progress, however. Perhaps it would have been faster to use the machinery instead?"

"Perhaps," Leo admitted. "Working the levers would leave at least three of us completely out of the fight. This way you can support us if- when they come again." He looked over his friends to make sure they weren't hurt; the only blood on them so far was from Gridamas. "Be ready, everyone! This isn't over until we're home free!"

For a time, activity within the camp began to stop, and Leo took this as a very bad sign, hurrying the destruction of the gate along. It simply took time to break down such a structure, though. Before they were though, he saw that they had incoming again. "Second wave! Here they come!" This time, the troops that burst forth to meet them were fully equipped, and they let out a battle cry as they charged with swords at the ready.

Using the same tactics as before, Leo and his friends repelled the attack, although one of the enemy troops got behind him and gave him a nasty cut for his troubles. Ellis rushed forward and made sure to focus her healing energies on it even as he kept moving and fighting, but even through his pain he could tell nothing important had been hit. The worst damage came to his white coat, already stained red yet again. It had been made to withstand harsher blows and spare its owner the brunt, and already that investment was paying off.

At least a dozen men died in a short space of time during the attack, but more and more of their fellows boiled up to meet the intruders like white blood cells. They too were cut down, although the fight was beginning to take its toll, both on Leo and Fyuria as well as the spell casters. Even an experienced mage such as Vira-Lorr was having difficulty keeping a nearly-constant stream of destruction coming against the gate, and Ellis was clearly straining herself to her very limits, held up by nothing but adrenaline and fear.

Through the fracas, the captain of the garrison emerged, denoted by his more ornate armor and feathered cap. He was a solid, beefy man with a weathered face, and Leo had the sudden suspicion that he had been put at Dunan because of politics rather than military incompetence. The officer immediately locked on to Leo, ordering his troops to keep the others busy while he drew his rapier and advanced in a dueling stance. A challenge.

He could do little but meet it, preparing his golden sword, which had again become stained and almost totally red with blood. The two moved closer together and the whirlwind of the fight seemed to fade away. "I never thought to see you in person, Golden Leo."

"Life is funny like that, sometimes." Leo adjusted his sword grip and charged, slashing but having little effect upon his opponent's guard. Each attack was deflected with the clang of steel, and the captain retaliated, nearly dealing him a second wound from the fight.

"There's little funny about this situation, for either of us. You're trapped here. Even if you get past us, all of Gridamas knows of your infamy. No place is safe for such a traitor as you."

"Believe me, I know that already," he retaliated with words as well as a powerful strike, which the captain moved aside for and returned with a jab. Once again, Leo was nearly run through, but he managed to evade, attacking once again. "You're in trouble too, though. Locked in a fight with the infamous Golden Leo, and unless you can kill me here, you're in for a world of hurt from your superiors. Hells, the fact that you're here already tells me you're on the shit list."

The captain grunted as he charged right for Leo, but the general evaded, and landed a solid blow on his shoulder that dented the armor plate and forced his foe to stumble. That confirmed something Leo suspected; while a general like Musaka could deflect sword blows through sheer armor quality, lower officers weren't so tough to crack. He wasn't fast enough to follow up on the hit, however, and the enemy regained his bearings and squared off against Leo again. "After Erendale, things changed. The entire army's changed, and it started with your defection. Failure here is a death sentence anyway."

Fyuria was abruptly behind the man, and gave him a wicked slash before practically vanishing again. This momentary distraction was Leo's chance, and he seized it, charging with a roar of his own and stabbing the captain, right through his armor and into his gut. He drove his sword deep, as deep as it would go, practically face-to-face with the other man. A moment passed, flooded with adrenaline and rage, and then Leo looking in the eye. "I'm sorry," he said, and then pulled his blade out, inch by inch, allowing the officer to fall to his knees before swinging a second blow, a _coup-de-gras_ to the head.

It took a moment or two before the enemy noticed that their commander had just been beheaded, because of the sheer visibility issues as well as the heat of combat. and when they saw it, their morale shattered immediately. Some fought on for revenge but many began to fall back, abandoning their fellows to be defeated in detail. Every Gridamas soldier that came against Leo's group joined his friends on the blood-drenched grass and dirt, landing in piles of bodies.

Just when victory seemed near, a squad of archers emerged from the smoke and loosed a volley directly at Leo. The fact that they were longbows instead of crossbows probably saved his life, because the arrows were more poorly aimed and had less force behind them. All but two of the shots sailed wild and hit the palisade.

One hit him in the upper arm, deflecting to the side but still smashing him with enough force to nearly knock him spinning. The flint tip of the arrow also cut through the jacket's material, revealing a nasty bruise, but he got lucky and regained his balance in time to see Zerva struck by a second arrow, almost between his shoulder blades.

He jerked from the force of the impact, dropping his scythe in surprise. The aura around him that had produced currents of fire and darkness faded away, and he reached back, groping for the arrow. It was hard for him to find it because he had very quickly gone numb, but that was likely to change soon.

Leo clutched his shoulder in pain, but his eyes went between Zerva and the archers, who reached for their quivers to reload. Whatever was animating these men to attack after so much death and loss was probably the same force that made Leo feel like the world was moving in slow-motion.

Without any ability to return fire himself, he drew his blade and pointed it for the enemy. "Fire!" he yelled, and against his expectations, another impulse wave followed his command and barreled into the group, sending them scattering for cover. Glancing back for its source, he saw Ellis, already firing a second wave to ward off the enemy, her staff physically glowing white-hot. To his shock, he realized the screaming he was hearing was coming from her; high and loud, like a piercing note over any other commotion.

He grabbed Ellis by the shoulder and shoved her sideways, right towards Zerva, who was still trying to grab the arrow with his own two hands. His brain would normally have seized up in panic, but so much experience brought his attention towards the next problem he was likely to face, Fyuria.

As soon as she saw her brother pierced by the Gridamas tip, she had completely lost her composure, and he reached out just as she was taking the first step towards the smoke and the rest of the garrison. "No," he yelled, voice hoarse. "Stop!" She jerked away from his grip and dropped into a runner's stance, only sparing another glance towards Zerva. "Fyuria!"

Without any other recourse, he struck her, hard across the cheek, with the back of his hand. She stopped for a moment, and then wheeled on him, knives at the ready. "Gods damn you, listen to me!" He shouted, right into her face, and let out a sigh as her immediate reaction didn't lead her to counterattack. "He's going to live, but if you charge into the heart of the garrison on your little vengeance trip, you're going to die!" He shoved her shoulder and felt his own protest at the movement. "Stay together with us!"

As though he'd merely snapped his fingers, the moment was over, and he could see that in her eyes as she took another, longer look towards Zerva. His face showed immense pain, and the back of his shirt was already running red, but Ellis' magics were removing the missile, bit by bit, and patching up the injuries to staunch bleeding and speed up his syrium healing. "Alright," she said, and he backed off.

'_Got to apologize for that later_,' Leo mused to himself. When moments determined the outcome of a battle there was simply no time to be nice about things. He had personally watched good men- _Gridamas men_, he reminded himself- charge headlong to their deaths for absolutely no reason, and after everything they'd gone through already, he wasn't going to let it happen again.

His head was swimming, with pain as well as adrenaline that even now began to slowly get stale. Fatigue clawed at him despite how much he'd improved since becoming a Spirit Vessel and walking Northeast Lucrellia. "It's not over," he called out, as loudly as he could, because he needed to hear that as much as everyone else.

Borgnine's next hit against the gate was loud, and Leo heard the crackle and splinter of sturdy wood. He turned in time to watch one of the logs crack almost cleanly in half, and the wood around each remaining hinge and mechanism crack and bend.

While the gate faltered, Borgnine's master was also on the very edge of a breakdown. Leo saw Ellis' tears hit the ground, her emotion blinding her even as she tightly gripped her staff and summoned forth powerful healing for Zerva. While Vira-Lorr and Dyshana weren't really warriors, as far as he knew, they could at least take the crisis as adults, but despite whatever her true age might have been, Ellis was still a child.

He couldn't blame her one bit for just snapping, even to an event that might not have warranted it in his mind, but the group was still in imminent danger. Only heavy losses and the camp's fires were keeping the bulk of the Gridamas garrison from swelling up in a third wave and overrunning their position. The troops were trying to reorganize under squad leaders, and if Leo gave them enough time, they would come again for vengeance and further blood.

Approaching Ellis, he crouched down to her level and felt his knees ache in protest, putting a hand on her shoulder. She whipped her head up to look at him, huge, youthful eyes full of unfathomable emotion. He looked away but forced himself to look back. "Ellis," he said calmly and clearly. "Everybody is going to be fine. We're still in danger, though. You're stronger than this, I know you are; we have to get moving as soon as the gate falls. Okay?"

She gasped in air and nodded, sniffling and pouring forth with more tears. She wasn't screaming anymore, however, and he saw her mouth work, trying to speak. She didn't accomplish much there, however, and took a few deep breaths, even as she continued to sob. After a few moments, she nodded in acknowledgement.

Without hostile forces or Ellis to distract him, Borgnine gathered up all of his remaining strength and threw himself at the weakened and crumbling structure. The impact was loud enough to rattle teeth, followed by a series of sharp cracks. Every section of the gate anchored to the walls or each other broke apart, and the entire surface of the wood now displayed spiderweb cracks. With one final mighty kick from the larval god, the huge gate, devoid of anything to hold it in place, fell forward and landed with a tremendous impact that shook the ground and kicked up dust.

Leo coughed a few times, covering his mouth as the dust exploded outwards and washed over him. "'Once more unto the breach, dear friends'," he murmured to himself. "Ah. Doesn't fit, after all, we are running…" he pulled his face out from his clothing and yelled, at the top of his lung capacity, "Gate is down! Move! _Move_!"

Without a word from anybody, Borgnine swept Ellis into his arms, holding her close, and turned to run as quickly as he could out of the new opening in the wall. Others followed him, filtering through dust and scrambling towards the other side of the mountain pass. Leo paused for a moment, just long enough to spot more figures approaching from the middle of the camp and a few random arrow shots, all of which sailed wild and arced through the air. After savoring his victory, he too turned tail and started running.

At his continued yelling, the group more or less held together as they ran down the desolate mountain pass, heading steadily downhill. Very quickly, the valley opened up for them, and they saw trees, growing in density until they found forests to one side, open beachfront to the other. Leo and Fyuria continued to check for enemy pursuit, but could see none, as the smoke from the Dunan garrison receded further and further into the mountainous distance.

It took a good deal of time, and a good deal of distance, before the group was willing to slow down and make camp in the treeline. Some, such as Vira-Lorr, were eager for sleep and quickly rested. Others stayed up, and Leo volunteered for first watch, sitting beside the quickly-mending Zerva.

"Hells of a fight," Zerva said to him. "I suspect we've both been in far worse, Leonhardt, but…"

"But it never gets easy to do this," Leo finished for him, laughing quietly to avoid disturbing his friends. "Gods, Zerva. I was serving alongside men like that not two months ago. Against men like you."

"Don't think I don't reflect on that every day," Zerva replied dourly. "But now you're not with them, you're with us. You made that choice, and you lived with the consequences." Leo barely restrained his surprise; he'd never had the syrium general address him with words even close to that. It was even a full-fledged compliment, by the Gods. Things were changing.

For the better, he hoped. "Yeah, thanks," he murmured, and sat out his watch trying to write, wrapped up in thoughts and memories.


	6. A Small Aspect of Destiny

**A/N**: _It's just about time for Luana to enter the scene, I believe. Yep, another First Generation story, leading off right where we stopped last time. Other Gens will start getting love, though. Particularly, Second Gen, there's still quite a bit to get done there. On the topic of Luana herself, I originally had a much lower opinion of her until I discovered the True Path. You see, on my very first choice in the very first Gen, I actually chose opposite what Leo does here; I chose to go by sea, and when you do that, you don't recruit Luana until later, consequently missing out on a lot of content with her. So, yes, Agarest started busting my face before I even know that's what it was doing. Oh, Agarest. I love you even so._

_This chapter contains no smut or fluff, well, maybe a tiny bit of fluff. A bit of action, too. Mostly it's stuff that isn't those three, however. Despite what I may say this does in fact appear to be turning into a novelization of sorts, at least for the First Generation; I kind of took _in medias res_ a little far with the start of the story overall, though. As I might have already mentioned, however, chapters are not necessarily in chronological order. At all. If this is the case, I'll try to indicate it up here, though, just to cut down a little on confusion._

* * *

><p><strong>A Small Aspect of Destiny<strong>

_First Generation_

Leonhardt x Luana

* * *

><p>"Oh dear… and I was so close, too." Letting out a deep sigh, the maiden produced a handkerchief and used it to wipe the blood from her pair of breaker blades. The circular, highly sharpened and lightweight steel rings were a very exotic weapon, and only the most graceful and coordinated could employ them as devastatingly as she did. They'd been getting a workout, just as she had, ever since she'd set out on her journey.<p>

The Kushina Valley had seen little traffic in the last few decades as the old trade routes were replaced with larger and more prominent roads to the south, and that meant it was absolutely crawling with fiends. An average human couldn't take so many on, but a person of her skills and experience made short work of them, at least until she'd gotten tired.

Now, she was practically exhausted, and she hadn't even reached the Dunan pass yet. She sighed again and regarded the creatures who surrounded her on either side of the valley, ghostly skeletal warriors and deformed bat-like monsters. They looked like they'd just stepped out of a story book. "Can you beasts even understand how beautiful I am?"

Mindless animals and beasts were about the only creatures in Rigulus who couldn't have recognized her at a glance. Her distinct, immaculately-tailored white dress and elegantly flowing golden hair stood out in any crowd, and was one of the many things that contributed to her fame as a legendary entertainer and celebrity. They had absolutely no appreciation of the way her short dress parted in a few key spots, exposing tantalizing visions of soft, pale skin, or how her clothing all adhered to her athletic, toned, yet feminine form. "Truly, to be so beautiful… I ask forgiveness for this sin."

"It looks like the ravishing beauty has gotten herself into quite a pinch~" She swooned a bit, holding her hands together and watching several of the beasts slowly approach her. Their fellows had rushed in quickly and been dispatched with even greater speed, and even a monster would grow cautious in its advance from that. This gave her desperately-needed time to recover.

"There must be some kind of way out of here, said the joker to the thief~" Singing wasn't going to help her catch her breath, at any rate, but music was a part of her soul and kept her going through the darkest times. "There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief~"

The monsters only reacted with brief puzzlement to the song, and she shook her head. "Typical. Well, I suppose this isn't really a time to be joking around… I am quite surrounded. And tired." They hadn't laid a bony finger or stinger or whatever on her a single time, yet, but after hours of relentless fighting, even she was bound to start slipping up.

"Well. This is the part of the story where a handsome prince appears to save me from my peril, right? Astride his white steed?" She looked behind herself, and then looked in front. Nothing but monsters. "Perhaps I've gotten too invested in my role as the damsel in distress. Wishful thinking will not defeat these crea-"

The hilltop ahead of her on the path exploded rather abruptly, tossing monsters asunder and setting several on fire. A group of humanoid figures appeared atop it, and every beast in the valley looked up at the new arrivals. After a few moments, three of the group began to cast magic, tearing the air and ground apart in waves and sending ripples of pure destructive force towards the nearest enemies.

Their leader was in little mood to mess around with wild beasts after busting the garrison at Dunan. "Excellent work, everyone, now let's carve a path all the way through this valley…" Looking ahead, he spotted a human being amidst the literal horde of monsters. After a moment's consideration, he nodded to himself. "And while we're at it we can make a heroic rescue. Fyuria! You've got the point."

"What are the odds another traveler is out here with us," Fyuria murmured to herself, drawing her knives and twirling them in her hands with incredible dexterity. "Ah, well. We can't very well leave her to the beasts. Try and keep up!" With that, she started down the hill at a runner's sprint, which for her was rather fast.

Dyshana, who planned to take absolutely no part in the fighting, as she had done at Dunan and every encounter before then, stepped up besides Leonhardt to survey the area. The sea to one side seemed to bring little life to the valley, which was dry, brown, and craggy, with jutting cliffs and rock formations framing it to either side and almost acting like a buffer for the wilderness further inland. "It was not random chance that brought us to her," she said, seemingly to herself, but loud enough for the disgraced knight to hear.

He was about to ask her what she meant by that, but another look ahead jolted his memory. '_A woman in white, with blonde hair…_' "The one you saw, before we set out for town." She nodded, crossing her arms over her black dress.

"Go now, Leonhardt," She told him, pointing towards the valley path. "When the beasts are repelled, we will enlist her aid and I will speak."

Through whatever link with Dyshana was created by being a Spirit Vessel, Leo could feel that this matter encompassed far more than himself, or even his descendants, but he did have a rather personal stake in it still. Any prospect for some answers cheered him up, and after Dunan he had to admit he was riding a bit of a wave of confidence. He went forth with the rest of the party and quickly engaged the flocking monsters.

The attack on their flank caused most of the beasts to turn their attentions completely away from the traveler, but a few chose to advance on her, and Fyuria saw her produce strange weapons and slice them into ribbons even while she dispatched her own share. '_She's no ordinary woman, surely, to be traveling out here… and apparently able to hold her own. Did she think to pass the garrison as we did by herself_?'

When she noticed Fyuria approaching her position, however, tossed her breakers away and threw herself to the ground with a loud shriek. "Aah~ Help me~" she called out, immediately enfeebled with terror in the finest traditions of female stereotypes. It was clearly an act, but it still meant she wasn't going to raise her arms against the monsters, so Fyuria killed every attacker around her by the time the rest of the party drew closer.

'_Well. He may not have a white steed, but he does have a white… coat_.' Mostly white, although parts were stained through with pink or even red and the coat itself was ripped in many places. It seemed quite at odds with the rest of his appearance, which was almost regal. '_Certainly attractive face, good build, a little on the slender side. A knight? More knightly than any I've seen recently_.'

His friends spread out to engage the remaining enemies and put them down, working together and taking caution to avoid risks, and Leo approached her, still sitting on the ground, and offered his hand. "Are you hurt?" He asked, looking her over purely to check for injury and for no other purpose.

She took his hand and he lifted her up carefully, allowing her to brush herself off and spin around. "I am not, good sir, thanks to you and your companions. I did receive a terrible fright, however."

"Thank the Gods it was nothing worse," Leo said with a smile. She nodded, and he turned to watch how everyone else was doing. While the monsters in the Kushina Valley were another order of strength altogether from the beasts he encountered on the Frontier, they still melted away under a coordinated assault, and few stragglers managed to retreat from the group before being eradicated. Everybody had taken a good night's rest and was recovered from the garrison bust. After that sort of engagement, mopping up monsters felt like exercise.

He let out a sigh and sheathed his blade, but quickly noticed that the woman they had saved was staring at him. "Is something the matter?"

She almost looked ready to pout. "Are you not going to say that a delicate flower such as myself has no place in such coarse surroundings?" As though to punctuate her point, a final explosion shook the ground and sent considerable dirt and dust into the air ahead.

"Uh…" Maybe Leo was just out of touch with Rigulus social customs, but this took him rather by surprise. For a few awkward moments he didn't really know what to say, but Fyuria quickly returned and pitched her two coins in.

"Was your head damaged? Why would he have a reason to say any of that?" She demanded. Before the woman in white could really respond, though, she only increased the awkwardness levels by addressing Dyshana as she approached at a slow, deliberate walk. "Dyshana, you promised answers, and I would love to hear you make good on that promise."

Dyshana was a not a woman for small talk, and at Fyuria's request, she drove straight into it. "Leonhardt was not chosen for this mission on a whim. He possesses an almost preternatural ability to draw others to him. Making him a Spirit Vessel caused his soul to shine even brighter, and drive out the dark as well as gather allies to the beacon."

It was their grateful maiden's turn to be more than a little confused by things. "Eh? Draw others to you? Whatever does that mean?"

"I'm honestly not sure," Leo replied and let out a sigh.

Well, now everyone involved save Dyshana was bemused or confused. A few moments passed, and suddenly a spark lit up in the woman's eyes. "Ah! Excuse me for a moment, good sir, but I believe that I know of you…" Leo winced as an almost involuntary reaction. Every time he was recognized since becoming a Spirit Vessel it had led to trouble.

Fyuria answered for him, her voice flat and calm. "He was once a general of the Gridamas Army." '_And don't you ever forget it; my friends sure won't_,' he mused to himself.

"Aah! I knew it!" Near screaming-fan-behavior certainly wasn't the standard reaction anymore, but she'd gone into near-screaming range with her melodic voice. "You must be the one known as Golden Leo, then!" She clapped her hands together and her face lit up even more with a beautiful smile.

With a flash of irritation, Fyuria changed her tone quickly to one laced with annoyance. "Gods, do you even know how to shut your mouth?"

The question deflected cleanly to one side, ignored by this woman. "But what is the legendary, and handsome, Golden Leo doing all the way out here? You… are aware this is Rigulus territory, right?"

At least this subject gave him something solid to discuss, and he latched on to it, nodding. "Yes, of course. We have business at Rigulus' capital, urgent enough to warrant coming through here instead of traveling by sea."

"Hm. It must be important, then… I've no doubt a strapping gentleman such as yourself has a good reason for going there." This person was so unlike anyone Leo had ever met since shipping out for the Frontier, he was honestly struck dumb and not sure how to even reply to her. Fyuria was getting badly irritated, though, he could just tell by the look in her eyes. "Ah. I don't wish to be forward, but… do you suppose you might take me with you? Perhaps on the road to Rigulus you can tell me something of your business there."

Dyshana took the initiative, nodding. "Very well. One with your destiny will only help our cause."

"Well, Dyshana has spoken," Leo shrugged and couldn't help a smile, extending his hand. "Sir Leonhardt Raglan at your service, milady. Welcome aboard." He was honestly surprised Fyuria didn't speak up again; if she couldn't stand this woman for a single conversation, days of travel would probably end in tragedy.

She didn't hesitate, taking his hand in a firm grip. "Thank you, good sir." She saw that the rest of the group was returning now, and nodded to each person in turn. "Thank you to each of you for rescuing me. My name is Luana, and I'll be relying on you, and your compatriots, to protect me from now on!" Reaction overall was mixed, although Leo didn't have the best group for social situations. Ellis seemed happy enough to have a nice person along for the trip. Borgnine didn't care. Zerva didn't really care. Vira-Lorr looked like she had something to say, but she often had that look.

This did provoke Fyuria to speak up, however. "Protect you? I saw what you did to some of those monsters, and I daresay you're capable of protecting your own delicate self." She was placed to notice what the others did not in the midst of the short, but very distracting, fight.

Luana actually blushed a bit, pushing a lock of blonde hair away from her soft face. "Well, I couldn't very well allow my story to end here of all places, could I? Don't worry, I am merely attempting to set the tone." She glanced at Fyuria specifically. "Meetings on the road of destiny require a certain script, right?"

"… Destiny? A script? By the Gods, you are mad." She produced one of her knifes and made a very distinctive slashing motion in the air. "Stay out of our way or I will put you down myself."

A direct threat didn't even faze her. "I shall certainly do my utmost." Oh, Leo was certainly in for relaxing days ahead.

He was content to allow Vira-Lorr and Dyshana to fill her in on what had already come to pass as the group made its way west, passing through the dry, craggy valley and uphill to the more fertile lands bordering the Rigulus capital. With Luana to act as a guide, they were able to shave considerable hours off of the journey, and stopped along several small settlements and farms along the way to trade and gather more supplies.

They were still on the road for at least a day, however, passing through sparsely-populated territories. Encounters with beasts in the heart of Rigulus territory almost never happened; the area had been inhabited by the kingdom for hundreds of years continuously and if nothing else it offered safety in a world that had seemed to go mad.

"Ever since my vision of Leonhardt, I have been completely blind to the future," Vira-Lorr explained. "Before that, however… I traveled, and although I spent more time in the Frontier than Rigulus, I wonder if you don't recognize me?" She pointed to her third eye atop her forehead specifically, unblinking and currently blinded.

"Ah!" She gasped. "In fact, I do! You have been almost a legend to the people in Rigulus, especially the capital! Onerthes live so long, my grandfather told me stories of meeting you, Vira-Lorr. What a surprise!" Just as Leo felt a little better just by her attitude, Vira-Lorr seemed gratified to hear that. He supposed it was tough for her to go from the sort of person who met with kings and lords and traveled the continent to a guerilla fighter against impossible odds. '_As a matter of fact, I would know_.'

Luana seemed particularly curious about how Golden Leo went from fabled Gridamas general to Imperial enemy number one, above all others in infamy. Although he'd had plenty of time to gather his thoughts about the matter and had even written on it in his journal, he let Dyshana, Ellis, and Vira-Lorr tell most of the story.

"Leo saved me that day," Ellis explained. "Because of it, though… he was nearly killed by the Gridamas soldiers and the Dark Knight."

"Not 'nearly'," Dyshana shook her head. "His fate was sealed until my intervention. I offered him a simple choice; join with me in my struggle to contain the darkness spreading across the world, and begin a new life as a Spirit Vessel, or pass on to the afterlife in peace."

"Did he accept?" Luana asked, and Ellis burst out laughing.

Personally, Leonhardt would have thought that someone hearing his story fresh might be skeptical or something, but if she harbored doubts, Luana never voiced or even showed them. Indeed, the more she heard about the stakes of the fight and the struggle against darkness, the more interested she became. Hours poured by and she showed her ability to keep talking, with any member of the party who was willing to talk at that moment. Honestly, Leo was happy to find somebody to talk to who was both nice and an adult. '_Human, too, if I'm being honest_.'

Even Zerva eventually had a few things to ask of her. "Rigulus has formidable standing forces, but we haven't passed a single unit so far. How close are we going to get to the capital before we see the military?"

"Guarding the Kushina Valley heavily would be a hassle with the beasts around, and only draw Gridamas attention to it," She explained. "That's what the army says, anyway. Light defenses keep watch at the pass to monitor any traffic, and we were likely reported, but a group our size is not of much concern." She let out a sigh, stopping briefly to rest near the side of a considerable barn. "Although we aren't at war with anybody currently, Rigulus is on high alert, especially the capital itself. I can get us inside, though."

"We are all grateful," Vira-Lorr said, nodding to her. "It would be embarrassing to come so far and be turned away by the city guards. I may have some contacts left in the city, but many of them might have grown old and forgotten about me by now."

"What is your business in the city, anyway?" Luana asked. "With respect, good sir, many may not have heard of your defection from Gridamas yet, and it could be dangerous."

His friends all glanced up at him, and after a moment, Leo replied. "We… were hoping to secure an audience with the King, actually. Zerva represents much of the resistance forces in the Frontier, and we have come to strike a deal. Our fight is doomed unless all the northern nations band together to face the south, and Rigulus is the only single state large enough to even give the Empire pause." In fact, although it had started like most Frontier nations as a city-state around its capital, Rigulus had, over the course of history, expanded its influence and military control and now _de facto_ held the entire northwest of the continent under protection.

"If Rigulus had stepped up against Gridamas when it started down this path, the situation would be entirely different for my people," Zerva added, voice and face dour. "Leonhardt believes it is worth the attempt, despite the risk he is putting himself in just being here."

"And you followed him all the way through Dunan and beyond," Luana said, nodding to herself. "I see, I see… very interesting! I am one of the many people in the kingdom who favors standing up to Gridamas, so my sympathies are with you. In fact… I may have business at the castle myself. I could bring you to speak with King Gunther, I believe."

She was capable of securing passage for even a suspicious bunch through military security, and spoke of arranging a royal audience as though it was a _fait accompli_. Everyone had been happy to talk to her, but despite her personality, she had said little about herself so far. Leo took another look at her. "… Luana, just who are you?"

She laughed, and instead of answering right away, picked up her pace, heading up towards a certain hill that stuck out in her mind. The hill was steep; it was worth it to get to the top, however, as the party saw when they followed her up and saw the capital city come into view dead ahead.

The way the sun, which was nearly setting, framed the proud skyline was beautiful to Leo, and reminded him strongly of the great cities in Gridamas, built by humans out of stone and marble and towering above the landscape. The capital hugged the coastline and was built in the shade of a great harbor, which housed countless vessels and docks, and spiraled out in all directions from the central citadel. In fact, several walls surrounded the city, as though its defenses were trying to keep pace with development as buildings and people spread further and further.

Already, beacons and fires on the walls and within the city had lit up like diamonds, and as a mental exercise Leo tried to focus on a single large temple near the outskirts just to give his eyes a sense of scale. He had read many times of the 'city of white', but this was his very first time laying eyes on it, and he was caught up in the sheer spectacle. The others were similarly caught up, and even Zerva and Fyuria were impressed by the scale and scope involved. Vira-Lorr had visited it many times but never grew tired of the vista.

Standing before this view, with the wind whipping through her hair, Luana clapped her hands together. "I am merely a traveler, sir. A beautiful, mysterious traveling entertainer, to be precise." Leo smiled again, and even though he should have been more tense to be traveling directly towards a place that might hate him, things felt like they were going to be alright.

Fyuria glanced from the seemingly endless rings and rows of houses and buildings, and the smaller settlements outside the walls dotted with abundant farmlands and windmills, her eyes narrowing again. "An entertainer? Somehow, that makes me trust you even less."

"Then I suppose it is fortunate for me that Sir Leonhardt is calling the shots," Luana replied, turning away from her. Her voice wasn't particularly harsh, but it was fairly clear that she was getting a little tired of being sniped at. At least that proved there were cracks in her persona of the sunny, cheerful maiden. "What a view! I will understand if you wish to stay a while and watch the sunset. I shall go on ahead and secure our entry."

Tempting as it was to just sit down on the hillside and enjoy a little nature without any danger of being waylaid by man or beast, Leo shook his head. "We chose the more perilous route because our time runs short; every hour is critical. I should like to see the King tonight if possible, Luana."

Together, then, the group set off down the hill, rejoining one of the main trade roads that led all the way to the city gates. "You make the tough calls, look at the big picture… Gridamas has lost a great general and a great man." Leo was prepared, or at least expecting, to deal with any amount of suspicion, abuse, or outright hatred, but the liberal praise from Luana was seriously catching him off of his guard. Soft words had been a thing of the past ever since he'd set sail for the war.

Whether she meant it or was just saying nice things, he appreciated it. "Thank you, but I think you overestimate me. Ever since becoming a Spirit Vessel, I've just been jumping… into danger, out of danger, always reacting. I suppose that's war, though." Even though Luana and Leo were breaking off a bit from the rest of the group in front, he knew that he was almost certainly still in earshot for the elves, including Fyuria. "And before that, I served an evil cause."

"This is certainly true. That's in the past, however, and plenty of people in this world can't say that about their own sin." Leo noticed that the group passed very sparse traffic, even on the main road, as they approached the gates. Soldiers at a checkpoint stood guard, but as soon as they saw Luana, they sent word to the inner defenses and soon the huge siege gates began to grind open. Without any conversation or payment, the entire group was admitted entry, although most got funny looks just from being so obviously non-human.

"Rigulus, like Gridamas, is predominantly human," Luana explained as they passed through another gatehouse and finally emerged into the outer rung of the capital city, a lively, if run-down sector with more people than space or money. "Expect some staring, but take it from someone with experience- you get used to being an attraction."

Movement within the city itself was simple, with wide, paved streets cutting through the urban sprawl. The internal walls were open and allowed free passage all the way until the hill atop which sat the castle itself, and the group made good time; the crowds that even now filled the city made a healthy amount of room for them.

"There are so many people," Ellis remarked, completely blown away by the scale of everything. Others had seen cities, but the most people she had ever seen was probably her hometown, a secluded refuge.

"Parts of this city could fairly be called 'ancient'; entire clans and family lines have lived entirely within its walls. Others? Well, a lot of these accommodations look like they're housing war refugees. The war hasn't come here yet, there is strength within this place; therefore safety," Vira-Lorr opined.

It looked like life was hard down on the streets for many of the people, especially the newcomers and the poor, but Luana explained that the city had a one-way policy nowadays. Partially because they already hosted immigrants from across Lucrellia, getting in was becoming tougher by the month, but anybody could leave as they wished. Given the state of the world in general, with monsters in the wild areas and war in the populated zones, and especially the shadow of Gridamas beginning to fall even on Rigulus, few chose to leave the walls.

There were many negatives about the situation, but the King could use the promise of safety within Rigulus and the specter of Imperial aggressions to fund a massive military expansion and buildup, taxing each class of the population heavily, including even the upper class and the clergy. Leo could scarcely imagine the church back in Gridamas accepting this sort of treatment, but they weren't desperate.

Leo wanted to toss some coin to the people as he passed, and he did part with about half of what he'd personally managed to scrape together. The gold wasn't too much, to him, but a few families could use the boost. The party kept all the rest of its funds; they would be needed, to purchase supplies and repairs and upgrades to their equipment.

"If we plan to end this war and bring down Gridamas, we need every resource," Zerva told him. "We will serve ourselves, and everyone, better by ending this once and for all. Then the refugees at least can leave the city and take up a new life."

"Ah, I actually had a proposition for everybody," Luana spoke up once they entered the better-kept and more affluent parts of the city nearer the core. "I know of an inn near the market quarter that always has trouble selling rooms this time of the year, despite their prices and accommodations. If you would be willing to put off the audience until tomorrow, it would be a good place to stay."

"Why delay?" Fyuria questioned her.

"Well, King Gunther might not feel up to discussing matters of such weight until tomorrow. Perhaps we should also clean up if we're going for a royal audience," she suggested, and Leo saw her eyes flicker specifically to his coat. "His Majesty doesn't stand on formality too much, for a king, but we simply must get you a new coat, Sir Leonhardt."

Leo rubbed the back of his head. "Well. We can certainly check out the inn while you go to the castle for your business." He reached over to the hem of his coat, felt where a blade had cut it, and saw the edges of the fabrics were still stained. "It was impossible to find anybody in the Frontier to do it, but I suspect Rigulus might be able to provide. It would be expensive, however, and I just became a poor man."

The group found the inn with little trouble, a building cut from marble like most in the city and carved with ornate drawings. The architecture was impressive, but the prices were still within reason, given how close it was to the central market. The others went ahead, but Luana pulled Leo aside. "You are rich in the economies I value, sir; honor and mercy. Please, allow me to cover this expense, since I'm the one who insists upon it."

Once again, Leo found himself taken aback. "Well, if you put it that way, I have no choice but to accept, Luana. Thank you. You may have noticed that my friends simply call me Leo or Leonhardt; please feel free to emulate them. I may be quite an extraordinary, and humble, man, but I will guarantee what is left of my family's estate, wealth, and nobility has been seized by Gridamas."

"As you wish, Leo," She bowed slightly. "I know you suspect I am laying it on a little thick, but truly, a man who is more grateful than entitled after saving someone's life is a rare quantity. I shall repay you in my own humble way." She produced a coin purse and pressed it into his hand. "This will sway many good tailors in this city, even though your order will be rushed by necessity. See to your group; I must away, to the castle. I may return, but if not, I shall see you in the morning."

He nodded. "I look forward to it." She took her leave with one final, theatrical bow, headed off through the crowded and bustling streets with learned grace. "Hm." He almost preferred the unpleasant, cold simplicity of his situation until this point, where few would give him kind words and most treated him exactly as they, at least, felt he deserved. Now, he simply wasn't sure of himself or his thoughts.

'_Particularly if what Dyshana says is true- Gods, that's a pointless statement, I feel it in my heart and through whatever this bond of ours is. Meeting her on the path to Rigulus was fated… I suppose we'll see what that means in the long run._' After a moment, that thought caused him to remember an earlier time with a smile, when he had been making ends meet in a publishing company back in Gridamas. '_Particularly, that editor who told me 'we'll see what happens' is the biggest waste of ink in human history. 'Gods, of course we'll see what happens!'_.'

0-0

Under the circumstances, security was very accommodating; everybody left their weaponry in the armory and proceeded to the throne room itself, where the standard guard lined the walls but no further harassment was necessary. King Gunther himself was waiting on the throne, alongside a few advisers and court aides. Leo led the group in and spotted Luana, standing beside the king. She gave a bow in greeting.

Gunther wasn't necessarily old, but he certainly looked very bit of his age, hunched over slightly in his throne, which was ornate to match the grand decorations and banners throughout the throne room. He wore a tunic and cape of fur, tailored to the highest quality but relatively simple, and his dirty blonde hair and mustache were unkempt.

Leo could discern little from his face, but fortunately he spoke up almost immediately. "Welcome, Golden Leo, and welcome to all of your companions, as well. Word of your arrival in the city has already spread." He nodded to the dancer beside him. "Luana has brought me up to speed, on the background, at least."

"I am sure you are a busy man, and I thank you for granting us this audience," Leo said, bowing slightly. Ellis imitated the motion and Vira-Lorr gave a curtsey, but the others kept still, and all Leo could do was pray his request to Zerva and Fyuria to let him take the lead would cut down on trouble.

Gunther waved his arm in a dismissive gesture. "I can scarcely afford to turn my head away from the war in the Frontier much longer, and Rigulus would be a poor host indeed to turn you away without even hearing your purpose. Please, we do not need this formality, I would prefer to cut to the meat of the issue."

He coughed, gathering up his thoughts for a moment, and then continued on, voice calm and measured. "Many in Rigulus have felt a greater kinship with Gridamas than the Frontier, especially given how many elves and syrium live there. I am ashamed to admit we are not as removed from the days of racial violence, even here, as we would wish. Personally and in my capacity as the ruler of a kingdom, I want to move past it, and I know that, even if syrium and elves possess powers beyond normal humans, we can find a way to resolve our differences. They are certainly not our enemies."

"It lightens my heart to hear you say that, Your Majesty," Leo replied. "In light of your desire to look towards the future, I beg you to consider the plight of the Frontier, and aid us against Gridamas aggression."

Where Leo had found encouragement, Zerva was much less impressed, speaking up with arms crossed and eyes locked on the king. "A noble sentiment, as far as it goes, but words will not stop Gridamas blades, which are at this very hour at my peoples' throat. The entire Frontier is being butchered, and the Empire engages in a campaign of genocide against non-humans, and you have allowed it all to happen within a week's range of your army."

To everyone's surprise, Gunther cracked a small little smile as he considered the syrium general. "You are right, of course. Benedictions cost me little, and mean even less. Our intelligence knows of the horrors being committed, and I am sickened by the news… but men responsible for entire kingdoms cannot leap with their heart, or they risk everything they have. A king has the respect of his subjects when they can live in peace."

"Ah, so that's what it's come down to? The kingdom before the man?" Zerva shook his head. "Not quite, though, since you are willing to send many men to their deaths, and women, and children, to avoid confronting the inevitable and to keep your reputation clean."

Gunther let out a sigh. "That is the easiest choice, but it is not one I can live with any longer. I know that one day they will come for me, 'and on that day'…"

"'Nobody will be left to speak'," Leo finished for him. "So speak now, Your Majesty; it is not too late to reverse this war and toss Gridamas back, if we had your help."

"In truth, I would send forces to aid the Frontier tomorrow, if not for a deadly situation that has developed in our northern territories that occupies a good deal of my troops and supplies." He looked to Luana, who produced a scroll lined with royal letterhead and insignia.

"Beasts have begun to pour out of the Cave of Origin, a northern landmark near the coastline, in tremendous number," She reported, reading from the scroll but also adding from what sounded like personal experience to Leo. "It began about a month ago, and five towns were burned before the Second Corps arrived and drove them back to the no-mans-land in front of the cave itself."

The King picked up the story. "I sent engineering specialists to seal the cave entrance, but if it were so simple… our forces pushed to the mouth of the cave three separate times, at great cost, but a beast of terrible strength repelled our efforts each time. The cave itself is not large enough to accommodate siege weapons or units large enough to kill the beast, and so progress is stalled and we continue to take casualties."

"I suggested to the King that if an exceptional band of heroes was to journey to the cave and destroy the monster, then it could be sealed and the Second Corps freed up for other duties," Luana said, smiling.

"Along with other assets," Gunther nodded. "So here is my proposal. Eliminate this problem, and we will stand you with in resistance to Gridamas."

Zerva was clearly skeptical, but he didn't dismiss it outright, grasping how important this meeting could be. "If we scratch your back, you'll scratch ours in return. You are a calculating king, indeed." Gunther dipped his head to acknowledge the praise, even if Zerva didn't mean it that way. "Whatever else happens, I do appreciate your honesty today. It is refreshingly different from previous overtures from Rigulus."

Considering his expectations going into this audience, Leo was ready to jump at this offer immediately, but he paused for a moment to consider. "Please don't consider this an insult, Your Majesty, but I believe my allies would be put far more at ease if we recorded your promise to aid the Frontier in an official capacity."

"A reasonable request, if you are to risk your lives in the Cave of Origin for us. Scribe, record the promise in triplicate, and furnish a copy to Golden Leo immediately." The court officer, practiced in taking down notes as well as actual dictation, quickly sketched up the rather simple deal in a few lines, traced it twice on official letterhead, and rolled them up into scrolls, handing one of the tubes to Leo. "I am giving you the ability to do me political damage, should I back out. I take it this proves my sincerity?"

Leo blinked and nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you for humoring my request, and for agreeing to accept the inevitable. Simply hearing news that Rigulus stands with us will be a shot in the arm for the resistance fighters." The gesture made it clear enough to the former Imperial general that Gunther was desperate to sort out his issue in the north, given how calculating and guarded his reputation made him out to be.

The king now looked to his side. "Luana, go with them and show them the way to the cave."

She curtsied deeply. "I will do as you command, Your Majesty." It was relieving to hear that they weren't going to part company quite yet.

"You believe we require a chaperone?" Zerva demanded, voice still calm but clearly ready to fight, at least verbally. Leo barely restrained himself from delivering a similar verbal blow to the syrium man, lest he dash the promising alliance.

"I suppose that you might see her as such, but know that she is also quite skilled in the art of war." Gunther laughed. "Do you think I would trust her as my spy if I didn't have confidence in her abilities?"

Vira-Lorr had probably talked with Luana more than anybody else on the journey to the capital, and spoke with a little experience as she said, "You are a clever king to choose a girl such as her to be your agent."

Luana and Gunther both appreciated the compliment, especially coming from somebody known for telling the truth to powerful people. "A certain amount of subterfuge is required of a good leader," Gunther replied, shrugging his shoulders and causing the patterns etched into his fur cape to move.

Leo saw no reason to draw out these talks; everybody would win in the long run with this arrangement, and all they had to do was face a beast too powerful for the Rigulus military to dispatch in tight, constrained conditions. "Very well. With our main business here concluded, Your Majesty, I believe we will depart northwards… after a day or two to resupply and perhaps enjoy a little of your wonderful city."

King Gunther nodded. "Go with the Gods. I await good news from the north." Even with how smoothly things had gone, considering the circumstances, everybody was still happy to conclude the audience and make their way back to the armory to claim their gear before leaving the citadel.

The group emerged through the open front gates of the citadel, and as they walked down the huge marble stairway spiraling down, they were treated to another majestic view of the city sprawling out inland. "My business in traveling to the Frontier was mostly just that- business. I am happy to abandon it for this pursuit, in truth, but there are still going to be arrangements to be made. I will give you the address of my residence in the city." Luana quickly wrote a set of directions and handed it off to Vira-Lorr. "For supplies, there is no place finer in Lucrellia than the Rigulus Marketplace."

Leo nodded. "I know our mission is critical, but we haven't stopped moving since Alfheim. Mimas, Zelzagun Fortress, Dunan… we've stopped to rest, but never stopped for rest, if that makes any sense. I believe we've earned it, at least."

Despite how important matters were, nobody, even Zerva and Fyuria, could argue with that. In fact, the very knowledge that nations and entire species depended on their actions was a tremendous pressure. Everybody was ready for a bit of time off, a bit of release. "Very well then. We'll formally reassemble at the inn in three days unless plans change, and until then, well. Try to relax or something. Even you, Zerva."

"No promises," the other general replied severely, even as Luana rattled off recommendations for lovely restaurants and shops within the market district.


	7. A Beating Heart

**A/N:** _So, this is the longest chapter to date, and that's mostly because I just kept adding and adding to it in little bits. It also might be why it took so long, and I'd attribute most of that to the final section of this, where I tried to write a bit different smut than I've ever written before. It was pretty fun to branch out and try something new, basically on a whim and an inspiration. So, yeah. This chapter contains smut at the end, so if you aren't interested, it's denoted with that 0-0 thing I do for scene breaks. We also have some time to develop a bit more about both Luana and Fyuria while the team's off duty for a few days._

_I knew I'd have to write about this since I started this project, really. Specifically the part where Leo visits Luana's home since they're in Rigulus at the moment, and that scene ends in such a way where there is literally no possible way to interpret it other than 'they had sex after the fade to black'. It wasn't even a bait-and-switch like the 'time of the month' stuff later, it just happens and nobody brings it up again, really. This chapter takes place right after the last one, A Small Aspect of Destiny. I'm definitely thinking that we'll have a break from First Gen after this, though; we'll probably go back to Ladius and company._

* * *

><p><strong>A Beating Heart<strong>

_First Generation_

Leonhardt x Fyuria, Leonhardt x Luana

* * *

><p>With the fate of nations hanging in the balance and every day meaning life or death for countless people, Leonhardt and his company gladly threw themselves into the small time they had carved out to enjoy. The day was still early, and a touch of frost in the air as well as much excitement staved off any thoughts of going back to bed. The capital city of Rigulus was one of the finest places in Lucrellia for shopping, and the group slowly split apart as people vanished into the bustling crowds and vital, living marketplaces and boulevards.<p>

Zerva was off to find a blacksmith worthy of his gold and his equipment, leaving his sister and Leo, both of whom were rather more adrift and lacking a definite agenda. Everybody else at least had something in mind, and before he knew it, Leo found himself alone amongst the hordes with her.

The last time they were alone, things hadn't gone so bad, but Leo suspected part of that was due to his old friend, alcohol. Entirely sober this time, Fyuria seemed to avoid looking at him, examining the many signs and shops in the more affluent quarter of the city near the citadel. Evidently, she didn't find anything to strike her fancy, since she started to move on. "I'm going to head to the southern quarter," she told him, voice entirely devoid of the fire that usually filled her.

He found this behavior at least a little interesting. Leo wondered what she was going to end up shopping for, and her announcement had neither been an invitation nor a warning. Typically, Fyuria seemed rather upfront about her feelings, especially if they were negative. In the absence of anything better to do with himself for the morning, he elected to follow her before she got out of his sight, and she slowed in her progress through crowds of other humans to let him catch up.

The roads, aside from some notable exceptions in high-traffic areas, were remarkably well kept, the cobblestones worn, hewn and replaced whenever necessary by people paid very respectable wages from the Crown. Horse traffic wasn't too common; most people in the city found it far cheaper and more convenient to simply walk, and often took the road instead of the pathways to either side set apart for 'pedestrian' traffic. They didn't seem to mind the occasional mad dash out of the way when a rider came past, although Leo himself managed to avoid getting run over by inches each time. The horsemen each wore the armor and bore the shield of Rigulus standing military, however, which made chasing them down and teaching them consideration wasn't an option.

Setting himself up with a bit of somewhat mindless following allowed him to check out the shops as they passed by. The city displayed such a striking diversity, with food, books, and weaponry advertised from all corners of Lucrellia and a good many non-humans, mostly running shops or working as serving staff in cafes. Almost all of the buildings were cut from what looked to him like marble but probably incorporated other stones, and particularly upper-class stores showed off more wood and glass. He supposed being able to replace more expensive materials when accidents or vandalism happened was a mark of pride for the city's merchant class.

A good number of caravans, some of the only legitimate through-traffic Rigulus got anymore, set up in the middle of the street and sold until their wagons were empty and coffers filled, offering rare goods that could be worth much… or little, depending on the vendor. He looked through many of their offerings but ended up paying for little, opting to save his starkly limited funds.

Producing his notebook, Leo sketched a rough map of the streets as he passed them and the many, many signs. In place of any small talk, he focused on marking down stores he would have to come back to sometime and explore in greater detail when he wasn't following along. '_First dedicated bookstore since shipping out from Gridamas'_, he scribbled next to a few symbols.

Fyuria stopped occasionally, often causing Leo to sail by until he looked up and found she was no longer pressing forward, and she seemed particularly to look at stores catering to children and toy needs. Leo couldn't help his curiosity. "Planning on having children?"

The syrium girl didn't reply for a while, and Leo was ready to shut his big mouth when he heard her answer, quietly, which made her a little hard to hear in the marketplace. "No." In fact, as well as facing away from him, she was quivering slightly, and noticing this further alarmed Leo. When he approached her, he saw that she was turning her face away from him. "I'm looking for dolls."

"Dolls?" Now that he was paying attention, he noticed the storefronts advertised a smattering of dolls, of various make and form, and at wildly varying prices. "I see some, up ahead, and I believe we've already passed a few. Why dolls?" If Fyuria didn't want to answer, that was fine, but this seemed an opportunity to try and learn a little more about her.

She laughed a little, the first time she'd ever done such a thing as far as he could tell. In fact, it was only the second time Leo saw her smile, the other being when they had linked up with Zerva after his spectacular display of generalship. "I like dolls." He was sure it wasn't a particularly good sign given the shaking and sudden somber mood, but he had to admit that her elven beauty really came out when she wasn't scowling or howling for some poor bastard's blood.

Leo shrugged. "Fair enough." Pulling aside a few travelers and merchants, the ones who spoke the local dialect that was something approaching understandable for a Gridamas man, and asking nicely, he quickly found the location of an actual doll-shop. "They might have something for you, if you'll follow me." He reached out his arm, offering to her, but the gesture only served to confuse her, and he figured she wouldn't accept it anyway, so he just took the lead, trying to quickly thread through the sheer seas of people and wondering to himself if every day was like this.

While their walk had been quiet until now, minus the bustling noise of the crowds, Fyuria spoke up as they approached the particular store, with a big, jolly sign hand-lettered and colored with fabrics and patches. "You put your hand to me back at Dunan, Leo. Don't think I've forgotten."

"Ah." The mood had gone from, if tentative, a little hopeful, to tense in a heartbeat. He glanced back towards her and stopped. "I don't expect you to. Look. I'm sorry." Sometimes in his old life back in Gridamas, Leo would explain, in great detail, when he was trying to give a greater context for why he messed up, instead of just apologizing and begging forgiveness, but something told him that the fewer words he used here, the better.

"Given that it saved my life, I think I could forgive you. If I had a token to prove your sincerity." With that, she led the way into the shop, and Leo reached into his coat to figure out how much gold he had left. Without counting exactly, he could tell that his new coat courtesy of Luana would go for far more than all of his coins. Then he followed her in, and immediately admired the many oak shelves absolutely lined with dolls of all kinds.

Fyuria was certainly taken in, and she began to go down the isles, examining the dolls close and holding them in her hands. Leo checked out a few, although he looked more to check out the craftsmanship, which was quite good. The listed prices for display items generally reflected that quality, and he made his way to the front of the store, where a mature human woman in brown robes was relaxing in a rocking-chair. Her skin was worn and tanned, a little like leather, but she possessed a peace about her as she swayed forward and back.

"Welcome," she said as he approached the counter and leaned against it. "I'm no soldier, but I can recognize a knight when I see one. It's good to see chivalry still alive in our world, young man."

He grinned a little ruefully, both because his 'handle compliments' mental capabilities had withered before they had let Luana, and his 'date' with Fyuria so far had been a bit odd. '_I guess that's the only kind of date suitable to a pair of oddballs such as us_.' "You are too kind, ma'am, I'm merely a traveler now. Perhaps… ah, I will not bore you with politics, I just wanted to say how amazing some of your dolls are. I could swear a few were watching me from the aisles!"

She beamed. "High praise, especially since you don't seem like the sort of man to take up many dolls. Perhaps your elf friend does, though?" Fyuria flitted in and out of sight as she went through each row and shelf of dolls, her long cobalt twintails of hair flying around as the most visible part of her.

"An enthusiast," he nodded. "I profess my ignorance of dolls, and so I wouldn't be able to find a good gift on my own, but I would like to pay for what she might select from your store."

"Well, she is a lucky girl, isn't she?" The shopkeeper laughed deeply and Leo rubbed the back of his head, a little on the embarrassed side. "It's good to see even a soldier take off some time to appreciate what life's really about. Since you seem like a nice boy I'd be happy to give you a discount on your gift, whatever she selects. How about fifteen percent?"

"I deeply appreciate this," Leo said, bowing his head again. "So will she." He could have afforded even one of the pricier items on display, but Leo also liked the thought of eating for the rest of his stay in Rigulus without mooching from a friend. '_Hey, Ellis, remember when I died for you? Got a few gold to spare for a real hero_?' Ouch, even thinking that to himself gave him so much guilt that it felt like a physical presence in his gut, and the shopkeeper wondered why his expression changed as he made his way back over to Fyuria.

He found her, for lack of a more accurate term, doting on one doll in particular she'd retrieved from the bottom shelf. The doll itself was humanoid, with rather well-sewn skin, almost as pale as the syrium herself, and long strands of curly fiery red hair. Instead of standard black marbles, this doll had actual iris and pupils, and brilliant blue eyes. Its face was frozen in a serene smile, and Fyuria held it close, smiling back down on it.

"Fairly lifelike, although there's others that go a little too far and become creepy," Leo opined quietly, and she glanced up at him as though he'd broken a minor trance. "Thinking on something?"

"Remembering," she replied, and handed the doll to him. "I've made my decision."

"You're sure you want this one?" He asked, taking the item and looking it over. To his own eyes, the doll was good, if a little on the underwhelming side. Maybe he was just expecting her to automatically seek the priciest and fanciest items in the store. '_Well, it's not for me, anyway, and if it can make her a little happier, it's worth it_.'

Fyuria confirmed, "Absolutely," nodding her head and sending long elf hair flying about. An energy and life to her movements spoke louder than her words to Leo. He had only seen her so animated when it was time to kill, but when he looked into her eyes, he saw something wholly different then hate or anger. '_It's easy to forget sometimes that everyone involved in a war, your friends as well as your enemies, go home one day and start shopping for dolls, or caring for children, or parents, or write books_.' Of course, most people made intentional efforts to keep that thought far from their heads when they went to fight, for good reason.

The shopkeeper was still in high spirits, and she quickly made the sale, throwing in a bit of thread and a needle to keep the doll in good repair. Despite how little Fyuria wore, many of her belts had pouches and holsters on them, but she preferred to carry the doll out of the store and hold it as they emerged into the bustling street corner.

"A shame our inn doesn't provide breakfast," Leo murmured to himself, but elf ears were potent. She could even hear his stomach as it grumbled over the noise of the crowds.

"We passed more than a few restaurants and cafés on our way here, Leo," she said, and hooked her thumb back in the direction they'd come from. "Come on."

"You have the point," He replied, following behind her again. Without taking a wrong turn or getting lost in the crowds, she made good time towards the nearest café. Leo read the signs out front as they approached the stone-hewn building. "A deal on Gridamas cuisine all weekend," he vocalized. "Interesting. I've gotten used to a lot of Frontier dishes since shipping out. And military rations; lots of them."

The establishment wasn't too crowded, and they easily found a free table. There were few staff on call, however, and both of them had plenty of time to look over the menu before a syrium waiter arrived to take their order. Leo was surprised at how much Fyuria ordered for herself, considering her frame was slender, and on a human would be somewhat alarming given her level of activity and engagement in fighting.

After their orders were placed and tea was brought to them, along with a small appetizer, Fyuria sipped her drink for a while and looked like she had something to say, occasionally glancing down to the doll, on the table. He had decided days ago to avoid prying or prodding, and figured things would go on in such a way throughout the meal, but she did eventually speak up.

"Hey. Thanks for the doll." She glanced up at him, and he looked back, a bit surprised. Things weren't going how he'd imagined they would, although he certainly wasn't going to complain.

"Just settling our accounts," He replied, dipping his head.

Fyuria cracked a bit of a smile and seemed emboldened or comfortable. "I'm not really hung up over it, I was just using you for my own ends."

"Were you?" Leo asked, something that resembled absolutely genuine shock evident in his voice, but he quickly turned to a bit of deadpan. "Perhaps I enjoy being used, if I can find the right user."

"That would explain our little lopsided fight back in the Frontier," She said thoughtfully, and Leo suddenly felt that his hearty steak couldn't arrive quickly enough. He remembered the beating he sustained then, which was far worse than any glancing arrow strikes from Gridamas troops at Dunan, and the fact that she therefore didn't have much room to stand on for being angry. It was a bit of a relief to know that she wasn't really mad, though. "So much effort to change my opinion."

"Did it?"

"I haven't killed you in your sleep," she replied and he almost admired how casually she could slip in such a thing over pleasant meal conversation. Perhaps this was pleasant meal conversation for syrium who'd spent the last little while fighting tyranny.

"For which you have my gratitude," Leo said and dipped his head again. "I'm hoping to make it to the new year before dying again." He briefly considering sending away for something to get him tipsy, but the establishment wasn't serving yet.

After that exchange, Leo was happier to eat in silence for a while, but eventually, curiosity got the better of him. "If you don't mind me asking, what made that doll 'the one'?"

"Hm?" His question had partially been provoked by the way she was still staring at the doll even as she picked at her generous portions of food. "Ah." She shook her head after a moment's consideration. "No harm in telling you, I suppose. I used to own a doll that looked a lot like this, with bright red hair…"

"What happened to it?"

She stared at the doll, partially to avoid meeting his gaze. "It burned." She took a swig of her drink before elaborating, and now she had his full attention. "Along with everything else in my house. Including my family."

"Oh. Fyuria, I'm so sorry." Leo didn't know anything else to say in this situation, looking down at his food as well instead of at the syrium girl.

He thought that was the end of it, but a few minutes later, Fyuria broke the silence again. "It's not like it was your fault. This has all happened before. The Invasion now, it's just the latest attack. The Frontier used to have a lot more people in it. My town was attacked when I was a kid… it was a long time ago. Brother and I escaped. The only survivors of Hovos. We've been fighting ever since."

"I…" Leo considered himself pretty well-read and educated about history, and he had always figured that the war in the Frontier was relatively recent. He didn't even recognize the name Hovos at all; he'd never seen it on a map or in a book. "I had no idea… nobody back home knows the half of this story, it seems… where was Hovos?"

She glanced up at him. "We've been there before. It's where Zelzagun Fortress now stands."

The table was now silent, and Leo had a few rather startling realizations. Including, of course, the reason why Zerva had been so determined to tear down that fortress, with his own bare hands, if necessary. He'd never heard about this sort of tactic being used by Gridamas; Hovos and its memory had been wiped out from above, at least by Imperial authorities. As had, apparently, a much longer and terrible history between the two regions.

How long? From what he could remember, and he hadn't been paying very close attention when he learned this, Zelzagun had stood for decades, guarding the pass into Gridamas territory. Amid much more depressing thoughts and historical musings, Leo decided to ask Fyuria exactly how old she was… one day. He got the distinct feeling that he was already pressing things.

"Thank you for telling me," He said, looking her in the eye. She merely nodded silently and returned to her meal, taking small, measured bites, as though at least some of her appetite had fled the table.

0-0

Zerva sought them out after lunch and, both to leave the siblings for some time together and to spare himself, Leo took his leave. Looking back over what he'd written, he was able to track his way back through the streets, moving with none of Fyuria's certainty and little of her skill, but still eventually managing to find a promising bookstore.

With funds too limited, he couldn't indulge his first impulse, which was to buy every tome in the entire store, but he was able to spend a few hours, checking out a number of books and reading through them in the store's small café. The staff was eying him in a strange manner, and so to determine whether it was because they recognized him or he was just being rude, he dropped the money for a mug or two of tea.

Eventually he decided on a book or two, as well; solid, well-made tomes worth every gold piece. They didn't contain the secret to magic spells or ancient wisdom; in fact, one was the latest in a series he had been following back home. Mystery novels. It would keep him sane during their long travels cross-country and give him a tiny, warped reminder of Gridamas. '_I don't suppose it's home anymore_.' Even if he could take a parole and go back to live in the capital today, now that he knew what was going on in the northern reaches of Lucrellia personally, he wouldn't take the deal. '_The Empire's been built on the bones of countless people, human and non_.'

As he walked out of the store and decided to explore a little more before heading back to the Inn for some time away from the crowds and even his friends, Leo tried to imagine toppling Gridamas, a nation of millions, with a proud military heritage and vast economic and natural resources. As an abstract goal, it was fine, but putting it into practical concepts was impossible for him. He decided to take a shorter-term approach. He couldn't imagine destroying the forces of evil at this point, but he could see himself in the Cave of Origin, fighting with his friends to destroy a great old beast and end its menace to the countryside. '_Just like in the stories_.'

When he finally made his way back towards the inn, Dyshana was waiting for him in the lobby. "Hello," he said, doing his best not to be unnerved at how she was getting good at predicting what he would do, even when they were separated. As always, her face was a mask of calm, revealing nothing that was going on behind it. It was the sort of mask, basically an assurance, that said there _was_ more there than what met the eye.

"Retiring early?" She asked, glancing out the windows, where the sun was still shining, although it was slowly, slowly slipping farther down the nearly cloudless sky. Sunset came early for those partially buried in the city, with the skyline in every direction occupied by walls and buildings that could sometimes stretch surprisingly high, like ancient trees that had grown beyond what anybody thought was possible.

"Ah." He shifted his books, carried under one arm, to allow her to see the cover of the top one. "I've had my exciting walk around the market quarter. This city is impressive, but I have to admit getting back to the Archer of Heaven series is something I've been looking forward to for a while. I might even try my hand at writing later."

Dyshana nodded. "Very well. I wanted to talk with you about something briefly, however. After we head north and triumph at the Cave of Origin, we should continue on through the Rigulus Control Zone southwards, hugging the coast, instead of returning to the capital immediately. Something will be there for us, and it will be important."

Leo consulted a scroll of a map he'd been furnished by Rigulus troops upon leaving the citadel, although he had a basic grasp of the geography involved. "I might not be so quick to take our victory as a _fait accompli_ if an entire army division couldn't dislodge this monster."

"You will find a way, Leonhardt."

He smiled ruefully, not sure how amused he really was given that he was once again making plans with everybody's lives. "Left with few options, a man can get remarkably capable. Hm… alright, I see the Cave of Origin; it was a national landmark, after all. Hm." He ran a finger down the opposite coast, down the peninsula, and found a stretch of land buffering the sea from the nearby mountains. "The Rome Valley. This would be quite a detour, Dyshana. Depending on how far south we go, we may end up either doubling-back or going around the north Kaystros Mountains."

"It will be worth every day it delays our return."

Leo frowned. "I trust your word, Dyshana, as always; without you, none of this would have been possible. You need to give me something, though. I'm not asking you to reveal everything; we've all got things best kept buried."

She stared into his eyes without blinking a single time. "I cannot tell you what it is. It is still far out, and yet it is also right here in front of me. It is not a thing I can lay out in simple phrases and words."

He hid his rising frustration rather poorly, and she would have picked up on it, anyway. "Cannot? Or will not?"

"Cannot," Dyshana replied, shaking her head slightly. "Yet. I may see clearer as we approach it, or I may not. This form… I am asking your implicit trust in this matter. We must go south from the cave."

Leo let out a sigh. "Alright. I'll update my plans for this detour. We'll need a lot more supplies, just in case. I see few settlements on that side of the mountains. It's mostly like the Kushina Valley, really." He rolled up the map again. "Will that be all?"

"Luana was here earlier," She said, bringing up a topic at least guaranteed to hold his attention. "She was looking for you. I told her to return later. I believe she will call upon you before sunset." Leo's vision was pretty good, but he had trouble telling if he really saw Dyshana's mouth curl in the slightest smile, or whether that was just his imagination.

"Ah. Thank you. I'll take some time to relax by myself before she comes by, then." He patted her bare shoulder and then took his leave, forgetting his room number twice and fumbling with the key, all the while muttering about how heavy some 'light reading' material could get. Eventually he overcame this grave challenge, however, and locked the door behind him.

The room even came with a wonderful writing desk, on which he'd already set up his journal-books and blank paper, and he dropped the books upon it, kicking off his boots and undoing his holster, carefully removing his sheathed sword. Even though he was looking forward to reading, he couldn't help but sit down on the bed and draw his blade carefully, looking over the famous sword.

Contrary to what people believed, there was actually no gold on his sword, either coating it or forming the actual blade. After all, gold was one of the worst metals in existence to forge military equipment out of, especially weapons, which had to sustain repeated hard impacts and attrition. The sword was steel, coated with a semi-reflective alloy blended by royal forges in the Gridamas capital, which gave the sword a dark yellow sheen in the sunlight that he enhanced with paint to make it appear shiny.

The paint, and even the alloy blend itself, had begun to fall off the weapon in small patches, however, especially around the edges of the sword and the tip, which were getting jagged. It was only noticeable up-close, but his weapon had been due for maintenance before he defected from Gridamas, and now, he would have to attend to it before setting out for the north.

"Everything gets worn, and broken down," He murmured, running his hands over a few stains where he hadn't wiped off blood quickly or thoroughly enough, and ended up tarnishing the weapon in spots. "I've been a little negligent." Months and months of constant warfare had taken their toll, but the golden sword was still solid, as it proved at Dunan.

Emotionally, at least, Dunan seemed so far away from the peace and relative comfort of city life. Even though he would only be able to enjoy it for a few days, it was so dissonant from the rest of his experiences in the war, fighting for or against the Empire. When they left, it would be back to the road, back to travel, villages, monsters on the path, danger. '_Gods help me, I'm almost getting used to this insanity_.' Well, he supposed he couldn't stay in shock perpetually; eventually, the human mind could adapt to all sorts of situations. '_Maybe I'll be able to write something decent eventually, too_.'

He put the sword away, holstering it carefully and placing it under the bed, and then plopped down atop it himself, book in hand, enjoying some absolutely decadent comfort. The air in the room was cool, the bed was soft, and the reading, after all this time, was like wandering the desert and then finding an oasis. The time passed so quickly that he was genuinely surprised when he heard a knock at his door. "It's op- ah." He let out a sigh and pried himself out of the bed, shambling over to pull the lock and opening up the door, finding himself face to face with Luana.

She looked similar to how she did in the morning, although her dress was different, with a fringe of black to contrast all the white and her pale skin and blonde hair, and she looked immaculately groomed, whereas he looked anything but. She curtseyed to him immediately. "Hello, Leo," she greeted him cheerfully, voice melodic. "How did you find our fair city?"

He nodded to her and stepped back to allow her to come in. "It's a wonderful place. Rather large, though. I don't think I've been through a fourth of it yet."

"I always enjoy it when my business takes me here," She nodded. "I apologize for not being around to show you the market personally, though. Ah, it seems you found your way to the bookstore, at least." She took one of the tones and carefully thumbed through a few random pages, examining the handwriting in particular. "I hope you've retired to relax and not because you're already out of energy, though."

"Why?" He asked.

"Well. I was wondering if you'd like to go somewhere with me," She said, still smiling magnetically.

Even though he probably shouldn't have been, he was still a little taken aback with how direct she was. It wasn't unpleasant; in fact, he found it refreshing to deal with somebody who, while probably holding her own secrets and motives, was still upfront with what she wanted. He certainly wasn't ready to chase her out and go to sleep like an old man, so he shrugged. "How could I refuse? Do you have somewhere in particular?"

Luana said, "I do, in fact. Shall we, then?" Leo didn't really need to get ready, although he did try, and fail, to tame his hair a little bit, electing to leave most of his stuff behind, even his blade, since he figured he would be back by nightfall.

"Lead the way," he said, following her through the inn and across several streets. The crowds were thinning out considerably as people headed home after work or play, and some of the lanterns and streetlights were already being lit by the guards. Leo understood enough about the city to know that they were headed away from where he'd explored before, and soon enough they ended up in a residential area. Larger houses with actual yards, albeit small ones, right in the middle of all the stone, spoke to the affluence of the people here, and Leo suspected he knew where they were going.

Sure enough, they arrived at Luana's house, and he recognized it before she said anything from her earlier description and directions. It was nice, although compared with the homes around it, simply designed, with two stories and incorporating a lot of wood into its construction and framework. "The humble abode of the ravishing beauty Luana," She said, presenting it to him with a bow. "Thanks to my travelling, it's often quite empty, though." She reached into a pocket and produced a few keys, trying each one on the lock until she found the right one and it all clicked.

"I would expect it to be full of presents from admirers," He mused, stepping through the front door and admiring the small and clean foyer that led to both the downstairs and upstairs area, with large windows as well as stands for candles in the hallways. "Gifts from across the continent, wherever you go for your shows."

She giggled and showed him to the kitchen area, apparently deciding on a little tour. Once again, the word that came to Leo's mind was 'simple'. Not poor; all the dining and cooking areas were paneled with lovely, highly-crafted wood and stone, and the furniture was of good, almost royal quality, but there was little needless complexity around, it was all trimmed efficiently. "Few gifts may come in from Gridamas, but otherwise… yes, occasionally I receive gifts here. Please don't let this out, but I actually end up giving away most of it." She glanced at her small stock of supplies. "Ah. Would you care for something? I'm sure some of this is still good."

That inspired a lot of confidence, but Leo could hardly turn out something to eat; he was getting somewhat peckish, and it might reduce a certain awkwardness he was feeling, visiting a lady's home. "Thank you; I could certainly eat something." He took a seat at the table, looking around and spotting a small painting or two in the dining area, mostly landscape work. "You give them away?"

"Well. It's mostly for a good cause," She explained, reaching for some cooking utensils in the back of a drawer. "The local orphanage always appreciates the presents. I figure most of my fans would understand, but… occasionally they do send something useful, I keep those."

He was a bit surprised by this. "Ah? Interesting. Most people in these times want to keep everything they can get; it's a natural result of being in times of turmoil and uncertainty."

"I hope it's obvious by now that I'm anything but an 'average person'," She said with a flourish, pouring two mugs of mead. "I do have a little perspective that most people don't, however; I am a war orphan myself. No family but the other kids and the staff."

"Ah." Still not really knowing what to say in a situation like this, all Leo could do was make sympathetic noises and hope that substituted for something intelligent. "Not with Gridamas, though?"

"Actually, right after I was born, Rigulus had one of those big chest-pounding exercises to show the Empire that we were still important. It didn't end well for either side. That's also one of the bigger reasons why people here are wary to go at it again, especially for the sake of the… Frontier."

"Our countries have been 'going at it' for far longer than anybody realizes," He murmured and took a long swig, savoring the immediate placebo effect that helped lighten his mood. This piqued her curiosity, and he explained a little of what Fyuria had revealed to him earlier.

Luana let out a sigh and had a seat, making a few simple sandwiches for the two of them to enjoy using the last of the fresh ingredients the house had stored up. "Unfortunately, I can't say I'm too surprised; Gridamas hasn't changed that much over time. Well, it has gotten worse recently, but I'm sure you know that better than I."

The conversation didn't stay on history and politics very long., though; the whole point of staying in the capital was to relax and take their minds away from the war, and Leo had to admit that on that score, he hadn't done too well today, hopping from one serious discussion to another.

"What are your plans after we reach the Cave of Origin?" Leo asked over his drink, leaning forward against the solid wooden table.

Luana seemed ready for this question. "Well, I've given it some thought, and I would like to accompany you wherever you go, royal mandate or otherwise. If your party will have me, of course."

He couldn't say he was terribly surprised by this, and on one level, gathering more allies to his cause was definitely something to celebrate. Even so, he felt a great unease; if events so far were any indication, his journey was going to qualify as an adventure, the sort of adventure that poets and historians wrote about long after his passing, and those stories always included a lot of heartbreak, and loss, both for the leader as well as anybody who got involved with him.

That was the best possible outcome; in a far more likelier case, he, and everyone with him, would end up dead and forgotten, with Gridamas, or the dark forces impelling it, rolling over the entire world and swallowing it whole. Standing against the Empire had already cost him his life once.

"You're sure?" He asked, wanting to say much more, but the words, the explanations, the warnings, catching in his throat and burning far worse than his drink would.

It was tough to tell what was going on behind her bright eyes. She nodded gently. "Fairly sure, yes."

Despite the booze, Leo felt himself sobering instead of getting lighter and happier. "Luana, we're headed for war. Once we're done in Rigulus, we're going to Gridamas, with everybody who can be rallied. People speak of wars, literal and metaphorical, all the time, but I've seen the naked face of that one word."

He couldn't meet her gaze anymore, staring down, deep into his mug. What he saw in the drink was unpleasant; flashes of his past, serving Gridamas, marching, fighting, killing, his sword as red as the grass around him… "War is barbarism. We wage it in the name of king, country, land, religion, freedom… Sometimes the outcome is justifiable, but the process is never just. A great many people end up dead, and… despite what we all say to each other, the same part of me that died in that Frontier forest wonders whether there is any reward waiting for them, any paradise, any answers, any meaning, beyond six feet of dirt…"

"I was _this_ close to finding out, one way or the other, when Dyshana rescued me." He felt her hand on his and looked up, to see her leaning across the table, beautiful features twisted in something between sympathy and pity. "So in a very unnatural sense I am both a casualty of war and a survivor, and Luana… neither part of that is something to be envied. The people who move on take it with them everywhere, and their families, whether they get them back or carry on with the loss, suffer just as much."

Her head tilted a little and her tone remained unchanged as she spoke. "Do you think I don't know any of this, Leo?" He looked up at her and saw anger in her eyes, at least a flash of it, breaking her façade. "I hope my lilting violet impression wasn't perfect enough to fool such an intelligent man."

In reply, he shook his head, and tried to explain what he was failing to get across. "No, I'm not saying that, I just want you to understand-"

"You would bring a young elf girl into this war of yours without a second thought, and a twisted syrium girl consumed by her own hate, and an onerthes blinded by destiny… but I'm the stumbling block?" She stood up from her chair, leaning against the table, closer to him. "Is it my capabilities you doubt, good sir?"

He found himself backing off a bit into his chair, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Certainly not, Luana."

She let a smirk slip through her face and she slid beside the table, moving with a dancer's grace until they were face-to-face and she was looking down on him. "Could it be something else, then? Do I need to convince you of my value another way?" She reached out with her arms, putting them on either side of his chair and leaning down, invading his personal space and raising the ambient temperature in the entire room.

The general couldn't deny that the way things were going was something he'd been hoping for in some small corner of his mind ever since she'd invited him over to her house, but his unease hadn't gone away; in fact, the mood whiplash combined with something else, a sudden flash of memory. Dyshana, and specifically, how she had told both of them of Leonhardt's ability to attract people, and how Luana was one of the souls fated to enter his orbit. He didn't even have words to express how uncomfortable he was with the notion that they were coming together, not because two people wanted to be closer, but because fate, or the Gods, wanted it that way. "Wait, wait."

"Why? Unless I've misjudged you badly, Leo, I can show you a few tricks you'll really enjoy." She leaned in and pressed against him in a kiss, eyes squeezing shut as she practically stole the breath from his mouth and forced him to breathe shallowly through his nose. She tasted like vanilla, and he couldn't account for his own taste, but she seemed to approve, tongue delving deeply against his in a manner both playful and assertive.

Her approach made him feel a little like he was drowning, after spending so much time wandering the desert, devoid of what the entertainer was offering so freely and eagerly. Something, a cautionary part of his mind or just a need to act contrarian, stopped him from accepting now, though, and he pulled himself away as much as he could. It wasn't much, but it was enough to allow him to gasp out, "You don't need to do this, Luana."

Noticing his genuine worry now, Luana pulled back a bit, still looming over him, stance confident. "I'm sorry, was I too… ah. I think I see the problem now." Leo was so caught up in the moment, and particularly in her blue eyes, that he failed to notice when they flickered away from him for a moment, towards one of the windows, and then back to him. "How long has it been?"

"That's not the point," He evaded the question, and she let out a huff of slight disappointment. "No, really. You don't have to do this, either to… I don't know, earn you way into my party or… because you feel compelled to." In response to the look she gave him, he continued, voice a little harried, "I just can't shake this feeling, there's a disquiet following my soul. After what Dyshana said… I can't help but wonder… if there's forces acting upon us…"

"Probably because there are," She replied, but the concept didn't seem to bother her, as much. "I believe the Gods _do_ act in this world, although not as they used to. Human beings are caught up in so many tides; time, space, history, conflict, love… I can't promise we would be here if you weren't a Spirit Vessel, but I can tell you that I _want_ this, Leo." She glanced downwards. "So do you. Why hold back?"

With that addressed so bluntly, and clearly, everything else that Leo could summon up seemed churlish or stupid, especially when he thought about saying it out loud. "I can't think of anything logical at the moment besides 'there has to be guys who deserve this more'."

"Maybe," She shrugged her shoulders and gave him a wink. "But they're not in my house right now, so maybe it's time to shut up and let me take the lead, dear." Instead of pressing against him again, though, she backed off, heading towards her own bedroom in an adjacent room with her plentiful hips swaying in practiced grace. Luana didn't cast her gaze back, and was gratified to hear him follow after a few heartbeats.

0-0

Fyuria's heart skipped a beat when she saw Luana look straight at her through the window, and their eyes met. It was just for an instant, and the dancer gave no other indication of anything amiss, but in that moment, the syrium knew that she knew she was there, squatting among the bushes and watching. Leo certainly didn't seem to have noticed her, though. _'… How did it come to this?_'

Well, obviously, by walking; specifically, out on the town, she'd seen the two of them walking together and talking casually. Out of sheer curiosity and a stew of other emotions she didn't care to dredge through at the moment, she'd decided to trail behind them until they'd reached the entertainer's house, and now, here she was, sitting at the window, watching Luana seduce Leo.

She knew that this really wasn't any of her business; two unmarried adults could do whatever they felt like, and it wasn't like she had any claim at all on Leo's time or his attentions. Yet, she didn't leave, even after she knew she'd been found out, half-crouching at the windows of the simple residence like a coiled spring.

Instead of either alerting her friend or just going out to accuse her or any of the other possible scenarios playing out in her mind, though, Luana continued to act as if she didn't notice anything amiss, returning the full force of her personality to Leonhardt. That was certainly unexpected, especially with how the two women had gotten along so poorly on the road to Rigulus, sniping back and forth, Fyuria with direct insults, and Luana with veiled daggers. She had never broken her smile much, though, even when they were arguing… was it possible that she didn't really hate her, even now?

Something about this reinforced the guilty part of her whispering that she ought to leave, particularly when the two of them left the dining area and went into the bedroom, but instead, she shifted around, moving slowly and deliberately until she reached Luana's window and caught sight of them. Particularly, seeing how she was pushing him up against the wall and kissing him intensely, and how his arms eventually came up around her to pull her closer.

Fyuria shouldn't have been angry at this, and wasn't, and she felt that she should have been angry about it… but she wasn't. Twisted up, emotionally and physically, all she could do was watch, catching a glimpse of tongue as the two humans went at it until Luana pulled back, licked her lips, and took his hand, leading him to the bed. She obviously couldn't hear anything that was being said inside the house, but now their actions seemed to be speaking louder than any words.

Despite sniping in her head or griping aloud, she hadn't really imagined that Luana's skills as an 'entertainer' extended to these matters, until she began to dance slowly at the edge of the bed, giving him quite a show with the flowing movements of her body, moving to the beat of music that was only in her head, although to the syrium, it seemed like she was moving in time with her own quickened breathing.

Two sets of eyes were on the dancer, watching with feverish focus as she started to remove her clothing, one article at a time, starting with her ribbon. Untying it, she cast another glance directly at Fyuria, allowing her golden hair to fall freely and flow down her back like a river. '_She's beautiful…_' The moment passed, and she watched her attention return to Leo, reaching down to slip off her shoes and toss them aside. Fyuria was equal parts fearful that Leo would discover her as she observed carefully, and… eager, as if she wanted to be noticed.

Luana might have been weird, though, but she had the distinct impression that Leo found out about this, things would get awkward… and then the fun would end so abruptly. '_What the hell would he think about this, though? I'm watching this whole thing unfold, something private, something… important, and I don't even know why…_' Or maybe she did, and she just didn't want to admit it. '_And Luana is enjoying every moment of this so much more because I'm here, even though this is supposed to be about him and… her_.'

Her dancing changed, and now she moved quicker, movements jerky, before she reached down to undo her belt and then begin to slip off the outer layer of her outfit, white cloth falling away from pale human skin. Both of her admirers stared at each bit that was revealed hungrily, and the syrium could see her almost quivering despite the calm, cool face she had put on.

Inspired by an impulse after Luana began to unhook her black bra, Fyuria reached up, easily slipping her hand past the straps that covered her small bust and feeling her nipples, which were achingly hard and sensitive enough that even this bit of clothing was stimulating; she pushed the leather aside and allowed even more of her skin to breathe in the chilled evening air. Excitement, arousal and nervousness mixed together and before Luana was naked she was touching herself.

She knew she should just walk away, even now; or especially now. Watching them from outside the window, desperation and tension building to a fever pitch, wondering what the dancer would do next… and then her eyes met Luana's once more, and she saw her own hunger, her own need, reflected back like a mirror. Being watched was almost certainly contributing to her bravery as well as her excitement, even if the dancer didn't want to let Leo in on the secret and thus had to practice a bit of subtlety.

Finished with her clothing, Luana did a single twirl, holding her athletic and feminine body with absolute confidence and showing off every bit of it, down to the well-trimmed tuft of blonde hair between her legs. She closed the distance between them and leaned down, whispering something to him, and then turning around, backing up until she was rolling her rear and hips against him.

Leo reached out but didn't touch her at first, hands staying in the air as she worked her body, grinding her skin against his clothing and starting to take up a rhythm. Fyuria saw how he felt in his face, though; like Luana, he was trying to appear calm, and in control, but he wanted it so badly, every feeling muted, teasing, maddening through his clothes. Unable to restrain himself for long, he grabbed her hips and pulled her more roughly against him, letting her feel his erection. She let out something approaching a pout but didn't shy away from his touch, and in fact, grabbed one of his hands and led him around her body, letting him feel, appraise, or worship as he saw fit.

The teasing was working, and their spectator felt her tensions building, even though she wasn't a part of any of this. In a way, though, she almost felt like she was the one pressing against Leo, and in her mind, she could feel it so vividly… vividly enough to slip a hand down the belts covering her thin hips, feeling her own wet warmth underneath it all gingerly and shaking her head. "Nnh…" His hands on her, drawing her close, their bodies moving together, grinding, dancing only to the beating of their hearts…

She let out a shuddering gasp as her own fingers probed between thin, wiry thighs, pressing exactly where she knew she could send pure jolts of sensual _feeling_ down her spine, delicately pushing against her moist 'lips'. Crouching to see through the window but remain mostly out of sight herself was getting tougher, and her knees were buckling, although it was tough to tell whether it was from exhaustion or arousal. Either way, she decided to kneel in the dirt, unable to take her eyes off of the spectacle inside for more than a moment.

She heard herself gasp and call out, a soft, vulnerable noise that she quickly choked off, even though the glass was clearly shut and neither of the humans were in much position to notice anything outside of their teasing dance. Leo shrugged out of his expensive new coat, but was unwilling to let go of Luana until she pulled back and motioned for him to take his shirt off. Without a second thought, he complied, slipping the black cloth over his head. Fyuria had seen men shirtless before, many times, but he was something different. He wasn't a statue and she'd seen human men more bulky and elf men more beautiful, but she could still see muscle and definition born mostly from the war. After months of being in the field, he still looked a bit like a member of nobility; she could see it in his complexion, the way he had a certain softness to him, despite his athletic build. It was alluring to see in a strange way, but by this point, Fyuria was past questioning her impulses, giving in to feelings and setting aside weighty thoughts for much later.

Both women were naturally drawn to look at a scar that marred his otherwise near-royal, pampered complexion, running along his abs in a slanted line that looked strongly like a sword wound, and Fyuria knew enough about scars to realize that the skin around it had grown and shrunk, suggesting he had carried it for quite some time. Well, for humans, anyway. He tossed his shirt aside and Luana reached out, gently touching it and provoking a shiver.

He said something about it briefly, and then took her hand, leading her as she had done to him, but upwards instead of down towards his straining erection. She ran her well-kept nails gently against his skin, provoking further delicious shuddering, until he had taken her to his mouth, and he took in her fingers, suckling them lovingly.

Fyuria didn't know what about this gesture made it so effective, but at least to her, it caused her to tighten painfully around her fingers, which were still barely inside of her, and she briefly pulled out with an exertion of will. Without thinking about it, she took her hand, which had been so eagerly pleasing herself, seeing her own slick fluids, and gave it a lick. What an odd taste.

'_I suppose we're all little weird in our own ways_,' The syrium thought, letting out a deep breath, aching from her own absence and slowly returning her hand to where she felt it belonged, putting a single slender digit _inside_. "A-a-ah…" This was far from her first time pleasuring herself outside, although the spying, and who she was spying on, added new layers to it and made it a fresh, exciting, dangerous experience that heightened every sense.

Leo's partner certainly appreciated the gesture, rewarding him with her other hand, roaming across his body and running her nails down until she reached his belt, slipping underneath gently to feel exactly how eager and ready he was in her hand. With a single stroke, he jerked and nearly bit into her fingers, although she didn't pull her hand back, looking like a cat who had just seen a mouse.

She didn't tease him long, though, knowing she couldn't expect him to last forever with this foreplay after being deprived for quite a while. Somehow, the dancer probably couldn't imagine that his social life back in Gridamas was exactly wildly partying and having fun, either. She could keep his attention solidly occupied while he wiggled out of his pants and underwear, however, with a set of deep kisses along his neck, biting down just hard enough to make sure that he really _felt_ them. This meant that as he undressed slowly, Fyuria got to enjoy the show a bit more boldly, peeking up and staring as his cock was freed, standing fully erect and eagerly straining against Luana's hand.

'_Oh, wow._' Aside from the occasional accidental glance or peep, she'd never much more than heard about a man's cock before this moment. She had figured one of her fingers was more or less the same length and girth, but seeing him had her rethinking things. With every small thing Luana did to move her hand or her fingers, and she knew a lot of such small things, he twitched, reacted, and seemed to grow even further. '_Isn't that painful?_'

It certainly didn't look that way from the look on the disgraced knight's face; his normally calm and relatively composed personality had been replaced, and he was actually blushing, drawing in rapid, shallow breaths around Luana's fingers.

She gave him one more dance, even though it was a short one, pressing their nude forms together and writhing against his hips, feeling his hardness distinctly and making sure to rub it with tantalizing friction. Seeing this inspired Fyuria to return to her own efforts, and after a moment, she added a second finger, even though she was so tight and wound up that it was difficult to press through and required careful work. The sheer feeling of both fingers together made her call out again before she knew what was happening, leaning against the house's wall for support.

'_This… is closer to how it would feel to have him inside of me…_' The thought sent a jolt through her even as she watched Luana start to settle into his lap more, perching atop him and shifting until she'd aligned their bodies just perfectly. Freeing both of her hands, she put them around his head, looking him in the eye and saying something. '_What_…' Before the entertainer lowered herself onto him, she produced a condom and put it on him quickly, trying not to set him off through the simple, teasing, action. '_Oh_. _Smart_…'

Without experience in that sort of thing, Fyuria could only guess at what either of them were feeling as Luana finally slid down, allowing him into her, bit by bit, steadily, but the way both of them shuddered and moved their mouths suggested things. Her mind ran wild, inflamed by her own physical lusts and unresolved, unfocused feelings, and she pressed deeper, using her other hand to pinch and squeeze her breasts without really thinking about it. She was drowning in an ocean, and never wanted to leave that feeling, savoring every single moment of this perverted, perverse happening.

Luana needed surprisingly little time to adjust to him, shifting a few times and drawing herself up, and down, directing things entirely while he sat back as though a mostly passive bystander, for the moment. With a wise, almost sisterly expression towards him as he finally grabbed her again by the hips, she picked up the pace, pressing down more forcefully and taking him all the way, driving both of them to the edge of their control.

Showing a degree of flexibility and skill, the human girl started to move in a new way, even while they were still so deeply connected and she was hugging herself to him, hips rolling and grinding as though she were still doing some exotic, sexual dance. This had a very immediate effect on Leo, and he held her closer through it, motions rough and breathing ragged.

Neither Fyuria nor Leo could last very long in this situation, and she brought herself closer and closer, starting to drool a little bit as she lost sight of absolutely everything but the three of them and the window that kept them apart, safe, and vulnerable all at once. Every expression to cross his face, every gasp and pant he made, even completely muted, took her to the edge, and when he tensed up, holding Luana as close as possible as he came, she followed him into orgasm within moments, practically engulfing her fingers and falling backwards into the bushes, her fall broken by plants as she tensed and then released, vision blanking for a handful of brilliant moments.

For some time, the syrium laid on her back, drenched hand still buried partially within herself, out of energy and unwilling to remove it an risk provoking another tidal wave of feelings, so soon, lest she drive herself completely insane. As it was, every breath, every pant, every small shift of her thin frame was _felt_ in some deep part of her core. "Ah…. Ah… ah… ah gods…" Her long, cobalt hair flowed freely, as though trying to give her some form of blanket from the soil and bushes, and for a time she couldn't even muster up the energy to push a few rogue bangs out of her eyes.

Her wonderful feelings were somewhat tainted as her doubts came flooding back in, alongside guilt, and she wondered at what she'd become. A proud syrium warrior, experienced on the battlefield and engaged in a war for the survival of her species, and here she was, masturbating while she watched a pair of young humans make love, lusting after both of them in turn despite all of the ways they were set apart from each other. Even now, slowly pulling her fingers out with a very distinct _schlick_ noise left her shivering, her body demanding more and more even though she barely had the energy to deliver. '_I… actually tasted… myself…_' Oh, and she'd made quite a mess, too, mostly over herself, her hand, and her thighs and legs, which were dripping now.

Of course, the doubts, and the grief she gave herself, didn't ultimately stop her from sitting up again, when she was able, looking back in and seeing that things weren't over for either of the two inside. Leo had come, she'd seen as much and that had helped send her into her own orgasm, and now Luana's face looked less 'in control' and more 'wanton'. It was a good look for her, and as she watched, the dancer slammed into his hips and finished herself off with a single motion, screaming and tightening around him to the point where she saw his face distort, in seemingly equal measures of pain and pleasure.

Leo was quick to follow with another climax, unable to withstand her aggressive, almost dominant loving, letting out a grunt as he released seed into his condom again, and Fyuria saw one or two, already used and discarded for the moment out of reach. Somehow, this entire scene came into clear focus to her mind, emerging from the haze and dreamlike mist, when Luana cast her gaze back upon her, met her eyes yet again, and gave her a wink.

Her face, warm mostly through exertion, heated up in earnest, and she could do little but gape like a fool as the entertainer rode through her orgasm with Leo, savoring the fact that the syrium elf was out there, watching, taking in every sinful detail.

More than anything else about that sunset time that they 'shared', that image, of Luana winking at her and Leo's eyes squeezed shut, all three of them riding high off of sexual fulfillment, was burned into her memory and, no matter how much she tried to think of other subjects or distract herself, it would always eventually reappear, in her dreams or while she was walking the town.

Needless to say, in the aftermath of this event, the rest of the party's relatively short stay in the capital city was awkward, at least for Fyuria. Leo remained in the dark about what had really happened, and Luana held on to Fyuria's secret, despite the fact that they seemed to get along no better in public, having a bit of a competition for Leo's time. All three of them seemed to want to move on, each for their own reasons. Leo wasn't sure where he and Luana stood, but she was happy to assure him that, if he didn't want it to mean anything, then it surely wouldn't. Fyuria didn't know if even she really believed that.

It seemed like nothing, and everything, had changed in just a few days, when the group's time was up and they assembled, gathering supplies and making ready to strike out for the north.


	8. A Disquiet Follows My Soul

**A/N:** _Wow, the next chapter! Out so quickly! I'm actually rather happy with the pace of development for this; I just sat down and got to writing. This isn't continuing the continuity or anything from the previous chapter, although I will note that all the chapters that take place are 'canon' for my fanfic, as in, it's all part of a storyline or timeline. In particular, this chapter will function as an introduction to Generation Two the way Human Nature leads in to the events of Generation One._

_No fluff or smut in this chapter; nothing romantic, really, although, given the order of the chapters, a glimpse at a time before the events of the Tannus Mountains and the subsequent trainwrecks that occur. Vagueness about specifies in the exposition about who was chosen in the first gen, who gave their lives, and what Ladius looks like visually is intentional. I fully expect that this won't be the last chapter centering a lot around a funeral we'll be seeing. The next few chapters will probably follow Ladius on his march across half of the continent._

* * *

><p><strong>A Disquiet Follows My Soul<strong>

_Second Generation_

Ladius

* * *

><p>The Invasions of the Frontier and subsequent Corruption War had ended the threat to all of Lucrellia. The forces of darkness had been driven back, but victory demanded a horrible price; hundreds of thousands had died in the seemingly endless fighting, and even at the cusp of the war against the Dark Knight and his downfall, one of Leo's companions had given the last full measure of their devotion. After losing one of his dearest friends, and producing an offspring to be consigned to Dyshana's service, his wife joined him in a final sacrifice to seal away the darkness for all time, on Lucrellia.<p>

Their journey and their struggle was legend throughout the land, and, despite centuries of hatred and war, the Frontier, Rigulus, and Gridamas finally came together over the sacrifice and began the long, and painful, process of truth and reconciliation. To many, the peace was a salvation; to others, old bitterness and hatred festered, but never again would the three sides assail each other and bring open warfare to their lands.

The events on Lucrellia are only the opening chapter of the Agarest War, however. Unknown to the mortals of the present day due to powerful barrier magics, Agarest had once been a single landmass, a Pangaea, but the cataclysmic war of the gods had split the lands into five shards, one of which was Lucrellia. The other four were out there, with their own stories and peoples, and only through Dyshana's power could a small group pass between the barriers and reach new shores. With the matter settled in Lucrellia, Leo's friends and companions on his journey set out for this new land, the continent of Graccea, held together by loyalty and personal reasons, as well as a certain eagerness to step into a new world.

Graccea itself was a continent that had gone through bitter divisions and their own cataclysmic wars in the past, fragmenting into three large national powers and a number of independent tribes and regions, as well as its largest defining characteristic, the vast and forbidden swamplands of the Alzai Fen in the southeast. All that was known of the area was legends of terrible beasts.

To the north was the Kingdom of Grugund, built upon a feudal system and countless traditions stretching back to the beginning of recorded history, a military powerhouse and political giant. Their primary rival in all things, in the south of Graccea, was the Republic of Fensarill, a tight federal alliance of city-states and smaller nations who had banded together mostly for protection, against the beasts of the wild, outbreaks of goblin and orc attacks, and Grugund. Their culture and economic status was unmatched, and other races, such as onerthes and elves, had even found a place there.

The third power, a nation that had in the past been underestimated and proved itself just as capable when it came to open war, was Furyum Daryl, in the west. With a lower, more diffuse population and lacking a strong martial tradition, they had relied on a heavy religious and political influence, and when it came to conflict, elite special operations and assassination missions, that often ended wars with a single dagger blow.

The three superpowers stood on a knife's edge, only held in check by memories of past conflicts and atrocities, and they could not even agree on a formal nonaggression pact, still technically in a permanent state of low-grade war. Into this powder keg, an invasion by the forces of darkness, and even a subversion and silent conquest, as had happened to Gridamas, would wreak untold disaster. The group had split on where they should go, but eventually agreed to leave for Grugund, due to its vast martial might, that could be turned against the coming darkness… or to its purposes, if it was allowed to fall as Gridamas had. Keeping Grugund from either lashing out at Fensarill or becoming a puppet of the Dark Lord Summerill was the first priority.

Arriving with Ladius Raglan, less than a full year old, Dyshana led the group to the Kingdom's capital city inland, electing to present themselves as defectors from Furyum Daryl, which had slightly better relations with their fellow monarchists as opposed to the republicans in the south. As the only one who could pass for human without obvious concealment or disguise, aside from the somewhat undiplomatic Winfield, she was the one who approached House Busser, one of the greatest and certainly the most honorable of the noble houses that ruled the city and thus, most of Grugund.

The Duke extended the hospitality of his house to them, and brought them in to hear their tales over a generous feast, only matched by the most extravagant of the victory celebrations back in Lucrellia. With such a diverse group, including races that the Gracceans had thought passed from the world such as the high elves, it didn't take him long to grow curious. Instead of maintaining a cover, Dyshana came out openly to him with the full details of the matter so far, gambling on his character.

He was understandably skeptical about some of it, but willing to take them in as retainers of his house. They swore allegiance to him in return for material support and assistance integrating themselves into Grugund society and culture. If their dire warnings were true, a storm was coming, and the Duke set many preparations into motion even while taking in Ladius, bestowing upon him the name Ladifour von Busser, and in time growing to see him as an adopted son. The Duke had lost his wife to an incident he refused to speak about, before they had been together for very long or sired any children, and in time he told Dyshana about his constant illness that kept his eyes firmly focused on leaving behind some sort of legacy.

Born half a world away to a mother and a father that he barely knew past his first year of existence, Ladius grew up in Grugund, and knew no other home than House Busser. Nobody in Dyshana's tight-knit group knew much about raising a child, certainly a human child, especially one who was, from the day he was born, fated to follow Leonhardt's example and sacrifice himself. They were present in his life as he grew up to some degree, but some, like Zerva, kept himself at a distance, compared to Ellis, who took up the role of his surrogate mother with eagerness, if not experience.

To the immortal rogue's disappointment, however, Winfield was kept at arm's length from Ladius oftentimes by Ellis as she grew protective, wanting to impart on him 'stronger morals and greater temperance'. Developing in a martial culture as the favored child of the Duke, Ladius enjoyed much privilege in life and quickly grew into his development as a soldier, learning the art of combat as soon as he was physically able to hold a sword.

While still young, his family took a chance to visit the ocean, and while there on vacation, Ladius discovered a strange man wandering the beach. Obviously inhuman, with dark, glassy skin and almost burning-red eyes and hair, he was recovering from great injuries and had lost his memories of what happened before he washed up in Grugund. A simple act of kindness on the kid's behalf, offering to take him in, moved him to accept and become a retainer of the house, wielding his considerable military and combat skills and becoming the greatest of Ladius' instructors, and, it was rumored, the best swordsman in the Kingdom.

When Ellis' ever-faithful and ever-present guardian Borgnine saw him, however, he immediately identified the man as a larva like himself, the manifest form of an extraplanar god, harshly limited in their powers but still incredible in their potential in the material world. Whatever he had been before, and whatever had led him to this point, nobody could say, but the only thing the man remembered of his own life up to this point was the name 'Vashtor'. With a consistent, serious, and even cold attitude about him at all times and a truly frightening determination, he made a chilling enemy and a comforting ally in any situation. When his health recovered fully and he regained his fighting form, as many larvae such as Borgnine did, he also manifested a part of the ethereal flames that fueled his soul off of his shoulders, a very striking symbol of his inner power and true nature.

As he grew into manhood, Ladius found himself drawn towards emulating his example, training intensely and always asking stories about his own birth father, the legendary hero. With less of an emotional attachment to Leonhardt, Ladius still admired what he had done, and grew up accepting that he had a destiny, written into his life, that would one day demand everything from him. Ellis had managed to raise him more or less as she wished, although some days she found herself wishing she had let Winfield a little closer, appreciating his constant humor, levity, and optimism a little more with such a serious and dutiful son.

Soldiering suited his personality and allowed him to regiment and control his life and situation as much as possible, striving for excellence as a combatant, wielding a great two-handed sword as a heavy weapon and wearing full plate armor, learning over the years to march, move and fight in his gear as though he were wearing nothing more than cloth. He grew thick and strong in time, with a hardy constitution perfectly suited to match his mental fortitude, but occasionally his adopted mother got a 'brick wall' impression from him, especially when it came to spiritual or romantic matters.

Perhaps that was something of a relief to Ellis; they spoke very little of the two things a mother was perhaps least equipped to educate her son upon, in a way, or at least the two matters she would find most awkward. As the years rolled by, she found herself changing, as well, developing in fits and starts in that most odd of elven ways.

When she journeyed with Leo, she could have passed for a twelve year old human child, minus the magical abilities; as his son grew up, so did her body, almost seeming to keep pace with his development for a time. She knew her growth would suspend itself again, and sooner rather than later, freezing her for a period of time longer an a human's natural life-span. It was difficult to explain to outsiders or to Ladius himself, but at least the others in Dyshana's group understood. In fact, she was the only one of them to visibly change, minus Zerva adopting Grugund fashions and occasionally trimming his hair.

The seer Vira-Lorr, whose gift of prophecy had largely vanished after meeting Leo soon after he became a Spirit Vessel, had originally joined the group in their trek to Graccea partially because she could see the face of Leo's son clearly, suggesting that her ability was not lost forever. She was still of little practical or mundane help, trying to scry out destinies and distant catastrophes and often having little success, but she still enjoyed travel, as she did in the old days, braving the dangers of the international borders in order to go between the three great powers. Although there were less onerthes on Graccea than she expected, much of the discrimination her people faced in Lucrellia had never materialized here, allowing her to contact her own kind for help in seeing the looming darkness and warning against it.

In recent years, however, even this limited travel had slowly petered off, especially to Furyum Daryl, as the trek was becoming more hazardous with wild beasts clogging what road networks did exist and both nations' militaries vigilant for people trying to cross over. It was much harder to get any traction there, as well; unlike the royal courts of Lucrellia, which for a time had adored her and her abilities and counsel, there was little desire for fortune telling of any kind in the western kingdom. Every time she tried another journey out of Grugund, looking to scout out the conditions in other places and check to see if the darkness was beginning its attack in earnest, her friends grew more worried, and finally, at Ladius' insistence, she decided to stay home.

Thus, she was on-hand when the Duke, struggling with prolonged and terrible illness, had grown tired of the medicines and magics needed to maintain any semblance of his life, and elected to go completely off his treatments and allow the Gods to claim him. After, of course, watching his son come of age, receive a commission within the national military as a general of noble stature, and detail his will leaving the estate to him entirely, aside from generous funds set aside for the servants who had waited on him or kept his distant lands governed properly. Vira-Lorr was only shocked by how long the Duke had held on to life, despite the uncomfortable and even humiliating treatments, and the terrible effects of the disease on his body. He knew his duties to his house and to posterity, and he discharged them before giving in to his deeply rooted desire, one that Vira-Lorr had _seen_ many times and was part of the reason for her habit of traveling abroad; his heartfelt wish to die.

Reflecting on things much later, Vira-Lorr realized that things had been changing for a while, often right under their noses; they had grown accustomed to their life in Grugund, and had lost the visceral feeling that a storm was coming… until once again, darkness was upon them, and it started that day, with the loss of the great Duke.

The archbishop of the capital led the ceremonies alongside Ladius, both men dressed in their finest vestments, religious or martial. Given his importance on the national stage, the ceremony was relatively small; a handful of important leaders and prominent clergy were in attendance, as well as the Duke's retainers and personal servants, and the landlords of the other holdings of the house. Given the Duke's character, Vira-Lorr knew that most of them had come to sincerely offer their regards and usher the Duke to a kinder fate amongst the heavens, but she'd also been around enough politics to recognize how convenient it was to have all of House Busser's officials and officers present when it was time to dispose of the inheritance and pass legal title to all of the holdings on to Ladius himself.

After the benedictions, Ladius himself stood before the assembly to speak, visage dark but completely calm and composed. His surrogate family knew that, while he may have already expressed his grief openly in private, now he would keep himself together and give the outward appearance of being steady as a rock. His voice was that of a man, deep and gravelly now, and through his military experience his lungs had been trained to project his dark, low voice great distances without really yelling.

"Thank you all for being here today. I must especially give thanks to my lords, the Dukes Hailzen, Gilliam, Hykezatt, and Messina," He bowed his head to the four men who sat with their entourages in the very front row of the city cathedral, and as he said each of their names, they nodded their heads to him, "who have taken time out of their excessively busy schedules to attend this service. With all that has happened recently, thank you for coming. The Duke was always interested in maintaining good relations with the other major houses of the kingdom."

His shadowed eyes glanced behind him, to the ornate, closed coffin that held the most important parental figure in his life short of Ellis, and the wreaths and flowers that laid all around it, as well as the sketches and paintings of the Duke, bringing him to life in stunning detail. "Great men step widely and leave a terrible void when they leave us, and my adopted father, Duke Busser, was truly a great man. Tragedy shadowed his entire life, but despite everything that happened with his family, he never allowed it to define him."

"At an earlier age than I, he found himself the sole man with legitimate claim to the house, and leapt into his new responsibilities with boundless energy and determination. He built up our fortunes and stature through constant work and development, and by the time I came to him, he was deeply tied to the fate of Grugund itself, pushing to keep our nation constantly on alert and ready to act, should the worst come to pass and war visit our people."

He glanced out among the small crowd sitting in the rows and rows of benches and pews, eyes drifting to the Duke's personal staff and, directly in front of them, Dyshana and her entourage. Even now, dressed in dark colors as everybody was for the day, they stuck out sorely from the other people, all humans, particularly the massive Borgnine and Vashtor, sitting mutely, staring back at him.

"Many things may be said about the Duke personally, but I fear, as well as I knew him, I could not do his memory justice. I can only claim to account for what he has done for us in his official capacity. The Duke fulfilled all of his oaths and duties, written and unwritten, carrying the burdens of command with him as surely as any battlefield general. Along with my friends… family, even, he instilled in me the value of duty and sacrifice for the greater good, something every soldier must always honor."

Now his gaze swept over to Ellis personally, and she nodded to him, dabbing her mostly-dried eyes with her handkerchief. She had mostly run out of tears by now, though, giving her a more stoic appearance than she really felt.

"I am not possessed of the poetic spirit of my birth father, however, so I will not speak at length, but know that our world is a poorer and darker place now that the Duke has passed on. He struggled for so long with his illness, but carried on, persisting through indignity and hardship until the day when he could, finally, let go. After such a long and distinguished career and, having made such a lasting impact on our nation, nobody can begrudge him laying down his burdens at last. May he rest in peace, amen."

"Amen," the congregation agreed in a great murmur, and he stepped down, yielding the podium to the next speaker, the Duke's younger brother, linked as Ladius was to the man via adoption rather than birth. He spoke of the Duke as a younger man, having had little contact with him of late except to make expressly clear that he had to desire of, and no designs upon, the house and its holdings. In fact, he had become a merchant of some import, and Ellis recognized him mostly for his support, behind the scenes, of the Duke's efforts to mobilize a standing domestic force that would be ready to defend the city if the regular military and feudal lords were away on campaign.

His remarks did not linger longer than they were welcome, either, and each speaker that followed him in turn tried to keep things moving along. This was not the sort of service where people would spontaneously break down to cry, for a number of reasons. Anybody who had that sort of reaction, like Ellis and Ladius, let it out prior to the ceremony and suppressed themselves now, especially in the presence of four men who, together, held most of the power in Grugund now. Ladius barely heard most of the stories, his mind pondering mortality; his, but mostly, others', particularly the friends and companions who had traveled with his father.

When everything had been said and the final prayer offered to send him to whatever truly awaited beyond the veil of tears, the group rose and the doors were pushed open. Ladius nodded to Borgnine and Vashtor; the three men had volunteered, or been volunteered, as pallbearers to take the Duke to the city's mausoleum for nobility near the citadel. It was the one place besides the military where men of stature from different houses were regularly laid out as equals and put side-by-side.

With the larvae on either side and himself in the middle to balance the coffin, the physical burden was slight, and the procession made their way down the capital city's streets into the overcast sky and occasional drips that heralded a greater rainfall later. They did not go far before being joined by an honor guard from the regular military, uniformed officers led by a familiar face, one of Ladius' oldest friends, Valeria.

A striking redhead with long, unkempt hair and a beautiful, if often unhappy, face, she carried her greatspear with a single hand, holding it like a blade at attention to him in place of a salute with her hand. All he could do was nod back, and motion for her and her men to take up formation around the procession as they walked, slowly and steadily. Even with an overprotective family around him and social isolation from commoners and yeomen, Valeria had played with him often as a child and the two were inseparable growing up, sparring against each other to test their skills and spending many days steeped in imagination, playing war.

When they grew too old for that, they began to become more distant, especially after growing into adulthood, but they were not often recognized as still being good friends, given both of their outward attitudes. On days like this, though, she was there for him, and he looked forward to talking when he wasn't carrying his adopted father.

Few people were out today, and they got out of the way quickly and some even trailed along behind the procession, warded off by the soldiers, and they made very good time to the great stone mausoleum. Its architecture had been laid out before the modern citadel was built, and many of the carvings bitten into the old stone outdated the prominent noble families, including Busser.

"A fitting place for the Duke," Vashtor said quietly, black eyes taking in every detail and paying little heed to his burden, fascinated by many of the carvings, which were in a variety of languages no longer in use on Graccea. "Does House Busser not have its own place for this, however?"

"Of course it does," Ladius replied, grunting a little, the effort at least taking some toll on his human endurance, although he held the coffin steady as they came in on the last bit of the Duke's journey. "He requested to be laid to rest here, with the rest of his family. Trying to send a message, even with something like this…" It was hard for his mentor and friend to figure out how he was feeling past his guarded tone.

Ladius set down more than the physical weight of the coffin on the proper pedestal, near a spot along a side-hallway that had already been carved out by the finest masons and prepared for the Duke's arrival. He saw the man's name, carved along with his wife, and his parents, along with their relations, stretching in a tree along the wall and bearing a number of holy symbols and artistic renderings. As the rest of the congregation filed in, though, the noticed a spot near the corner of the Busser space, still yet to be filled, and squinted to make out the carvings.

"Ladifour von Busser…" He murmured, stopped in his tracks, staring for just a moment at the spot that had been, at some point, reserved for him amongst the rest of the noble house. With mind racing along far quicker than he could track, he forced himself to look away from that. There would be much time to contemplate things later, but right now, he had to keep it together, leading the final invocation sternly.

"As we are from the soil and the rock, so shall we return. So say we all." With the group all assembled around nodding and echoing the chant, the three pallbearers slowly pushed the coffin into its place amongst the rock, and then pulled the thick cover into place, completing the formal burial at the mausoleum. "Thank you all for being here." With that, the service concluded, and the hallowed walls began to hum with conversation as groups of people detached from the assembly and began to leave.

A small stream of people approached Ladius, to see the memorial wall or just to offer him condolences. He nodded and accepted in hushed tones each time, shaking hands when they were offered and bowing his head to notable men. Borgnine, having done his job, left to be by his Master's side once again, leaving Ladius and Vashtor alone amongst the crowd. Most of the people had filtered back outside and the military guard had disbanded when his friends approached him, flanked by house officials, and led by Vira-Lorr. He nodded to them, as well.

"I assume the Duke told you of his arrangements regarding the estate, Ladius?" The onerthes seer wrapped and veiled in black asked, husky contralto a bit scratchy from underuse today. "Given recent instability, we all think it best to get the legalities out of the way as quickly as we can."

"He told me, yes." The general turned back to look at his spot amongst the memorials and graves again, staring this time, folding his arms contemplatively. "I can still hardly believe it."

Winfield, possessed of his usual uplifting personality but very little levity today, shook his head, brushing a bit of his long black hair out off his eyes. "I can. We say 'he's in a better place now' about everyone, but I guarantee you he's been relieved of a heavy burden, like you said. And as to inheriting the house, milord… well, we've raised you to be a great man in his footsteps."

"In spite of any corrupting influences," Ellis chimed in, staring sourly at Winfield in particular and crossing her arms, looking a little less comfortable in a ruffled funeral dress than Vira-Lorr or Dyshana. At other times, the two of them enjoyed trading jabs occasionally, but now, the rogue thought it best not to poke back, given how her face still showed how much she'd been crying. The high elf stepped closer to her son and said, "But I don't disagree. You've grown to be the sort of man that your father would be proud of… both of them."

At that moment, Ladius didn't feel much like either man's match; one had saved an entire continent, and the other had looked primed to do the same with his actions and influence. "I appreciate that… really, I do, but… I can't help but wonder if this won't just be a distraction." He bent down to get a better look at the few drawings and carvings surrounding his monument.

"From your destiny?" Dyshana asked, voice calm and perfectly neutral as she emerged from the rest of the group and approached him, long and unnaturally colored hair flowing around her dress.

"Yes. The purpose to which I was born… and to which I will go." The reality of the situation was that, even with this spot reserved in his memory, he would never have the chance to occupy it, given what he was fated to do. "Compared to it, little else seems to matter… and for House Busser, I think it deserves a regent who can live a long, full life and govern wisely like my father."

Dyshana shook her head. "Do not allow your duty as a Spirit Vessel to crowd out all other concerns, Ladius; you have time, yet. I sense you have a greater role to play in Graccea than even our mission."

Vira-Lorr wished she could agree with the mysterious patron, but she had to speak up. "The dark times I foretold, I believe they begin with the fall of the Duke… I'm not sure yet, but destiny may be catching up to us sooner than later."

"Given the recent discontent and uprisings, I am inclined to agree," Zerva added, nodding sagely. "You are the clear and designated successor, Ladius, written by the Duke himself into the estate. Nobody else has legitimate claims, and so shirking this for whatever reason may lead to a vacuum of power. The sort of vacuum that is always filled, one way or another… and right now, Grugund must stand stable and united to face the storm." He noticed a large group approaching them, and quickly recognized Duke Hailzen at their head. "Let us speak of this later."

The retainers and entourage quickly made way, allowing the four most powerful men in the kingdom, especially with Duke Busser's passing, to approach. Ladius stood, nodding to each of the men in turn and coming to attention as a soldier. "My lords," He said respectfully.

"Ladifour, we present our sincerest condolences on your loss." Hailzen said, and Gilliam, Hykezatt, and Messina all nodded in agreement. Each of the men wore a different color, to represent their own noble bloodlines and houses, but were dressed like kings themselves, and Hailzen certainly embodied that attitude. Ellis briefly wondered if any of them noticed that Ladius' friends existed.

"Thank you, sirs," Ladius acknowledged formally, standing at ease, or at least what passed for 'at ease' with a man trained for stature and warfare. Particularly such a man standing in the presence of such important lords.

"There is no good time for such a man to leave us, but this comes at a particularly poor juncture in history, I'm afraid." Hailzen glanced over at Gilliam, who adjusted his spectacles on his weathered face. "We came today to speak of the recent events in House Maurice territory, and to ask for your help."

Hykezatt rubbed his chin and interjected before the other man could go on. "I don't believe we all agreed to this, Hailzen."

The apparent leader of the group looked a little annoyed he had to address the other duke's point, but couldn't just ignore him as he did the retainers. "We agreed to discuss the issue further, and call for analysis from our military advisors, but now our hands have been forced, Hykezatt. We have no more time for deliberations if we are to keep Grugund intact." Ladius' attention was even more sharply focused now, and he tensed up, waiting for the explanation. Everybody else also seemed to crowd a little closer to listen in. "Rebellion has broken out in the north. All of the tensions up to this point have been answered by the government with negotiations, but the insurrectionists in Maurice territory have crossed the line."

"I barely escaped my manor at Atelier before it was looted and defaced," Gilliam explained, clearly more used to dealing with ceremony and numbers than people. "I never knew things would come to this point; we were unprepared, and few of my servants and retainers made it out. The fate of the others, and of the local governors and courts…. Remains unknown. We fear the worst, and our envoys have been driven off."

"The situation now is dangerous, but if left unchecked this rebellion could inspire other groups of dissidents to rise up, and start a trend that could weaken Grugund, even with our rivals watching keenly for any opening in our defenses." Hailzen produced a scroll and handed it to Ladius carefully. "We are assembling regular and reservist military units that can be spared from our borders into a punitive force, and I offer you the commission to lead it. We must strike hard, and quickly; it is our only resort to avoid civil war."

So soon after his adoptive father's service had concluded, and plagued thus with morbid thoughts and doubts, Ladius was poised to find a way to refuse the offer, but Gilliam spoke up, shaking his head in shame. "I should be the one to lead this force; it was my poor handling of the situation that caused this rebellion…" It seemed clear that he wasn't fit to lead a military force, certainly not one designed to strike a decisive victory, and Ladius practically heard the 'but…' aloud.

Despite the alarming news, and how it could lead to future disasters, though, a commission to such an important unit as his first real command was a tempting proposition, a chance to test his training and education in the field and do some real good. Maybe he could convince himself that he was worthy to succeed his father, even if only for a time. "Such a task, dealing with these sorts of dissidents, is beneath a man of your stature, milord. Please, allow me to handle this."

The man looked quite relieved, nodding eagerly. "Your words give me great reassurance, General. When order is restored, we can look to addressing the deeper issues at play here… until then, I'm afraid, the matter is in the hands of the military." Neither Hykezatt nor Messina seemed particularly thrilled about this turn of events, but if Ladius himself was willing to accept the commission, they could say little, eventually giving their blessing to the endeavor.

Unfurling the scroll, Ladius saw manifests and lists of soldiers and units as well as marching orders and a summary of available information about the crisis, all in neat, small ink print. "Intelligence suggests the number of rebels is still quite low, compared to the forces we are mustering; break them before they can gather strength and fester, Ladifour," Hailzen instructed authoritatively. "Gods speed you to victory. That will be all for now, then. I imagine you have other affairs to sort out." With that, the noble men moved as one, taking their leave, flanked by their followers and aides and quickly emerging back into the city.

Ladius' friends closed around him, and Winfield decided to glance at the scroll as well, offering the first comment on the news. "Say what you will about Hailzen and his administration, but you can't fault the man's timing and sensitivity." Unsurprisingly, this drew few laughs, and he rubbed the back of his head. "Maurice. I remember hearing about news from that province before… the tax disputes, right?"

"Correct," Vira-Lorr replied, drawing upon her knowledge of news within the past few months. "The people living in the north had been making a lot of noise about some tax increases but I never paid that much attention. House Maurice has made many enemies through their history… I would have expected them to be much better prepared to hold on to their power."

"Especially if this rebellion is so nascent and unorganized as the intelligence would claim," Zerva opined, shaking his head. "Somehow, if violence was to break out, it doesn't surprise me terribly that this is the catalyst. The peasantry in the northern provinces have always been worse-off than those in, say, our lands, and part of that doesn't come from fortune or industry. I've been hearing reports of obscene taxation; far in excess of what the King's mandate allows."

Coughing loudly, Vira-Lorr barely restrained her contempt for the monarch who very nearly ruled completely in absentia, withdrawn into his estate and allowing the dukes such as Hailzen stunning free reign over their feudal holdings. "A wonder that anybody would be able to get around the King's regulations." One of the many reasons for the factional infighting and even rebellion that had plagued Grugund in ages past was the weakness of its monarchy; when somebody tried to centralize authority, though, that was typically met with stiff resistance as well. She wondered how such a system had ever produced a strong country that could arguably take both of its neighbors in a fight, although the war would drain all three parties to the point of desolation.

"Something is wrong here," Vashtor insisted grimly. "It's just a feeling, but I have learned to trust these impulses. Trouble's waiting for us in the north. According to the Duke's information, these rebels have already abandoned the major population centers and gone to ground in the Tannus Mountains near the north coast. They're banking on the rough, unfamiliar terrain to give us pause."

"It won't help them enough," Ladius said, trying not to sound too dismissive of his concerns. Vashtor was typically the most stoic and cold out of the entire group, even including Borgnine, although his instructor was much more interested in the affairs of the house and the kingdom. "Whether something is off about this or not, waiting in the capital and allowing the rebellion to grow will benefit nobody. Best to end it now. When we return from our mission in the north, we can see to the disposition of the estate and property." He saw Vira-Lorr ready to protest and held up his hand. "Please. I'm having trouble thinking clearly right now; in a week or two, and with a victory under my belt, I will be in a far better condition to make this decision."

With his mind made up on this matter, everybody knew, more or less, that they weren't going to budge him off of it. "I suppose I wouldn't mind a bit of travel," Winfield said. "And action, as well. I don't expect these rebels to throw down their arms when the military arrives, if they're gone this far already."

"I wouldn't," Zerva agreed. "So, we're back to it, at least for now." That was that. "Let us return to the house and make the preparations; perhaps we can keep the officials as our guests until we return and Ladius makes his decision."

"We've disturbed this place with our mortal squabbles long enough," Dyshana agreed, and the group set out, some of the last to leave the mausoleum, although Ladius caught sight of Valeria, waiting at the door for him.

"Ladius," She called out, joining his group as they walked down the street. He pulled back and slowed down so she could catch up, and to withdraw from his friends and speak with her instead. "How are you feeling?" Her striking hair, one of the most defining visual characteristics one noticed when first meeting her, was notably long, particularly for a woman in the army, was braided most of the way down her back, helping keep it more in line, and it barely swung about as she galloped to him.

"I am holding up," He replied, shrugging his broad shoulders and adjusting his military uniform, pulling one of the buttons loose to allow a bit of breathing space. "For now. I suspect in what time I have left here I will want to be alone for a time. However, I'm glad you could make it even with the military exercises planned today."

The redhead's pale skin was tinged with a blush before she turned away to regard the sky and the swirling blanket of grey that concealed the sun. "I can be very persistent. Besides, the men learned valuable lessons about formal procedure in these situations, so Command didn't mind terribly."

Ladius nodded. "I expect some of your men will end up in my command when we march for the north. You overheard all of that, yes?" Eavesdropping was something of a social taboo in Grugund, especially given all the house and political machinations that so often wracked the capital city, but soldiers in sensitive spots couldn't help it if they happened to overhear important meetings.

"I heard enough, and the news has already reached me of the uprising in Maurice lands," Valeria confirmed, hefting her spear over her shoulder as though it was a casual burden, although she took pains to make sure she was in the middle of the street and unlikely to land a hit on one of the few pedestrians out at this time. "I can scarcely believe they would tap you for this sort of mission so soon after losing… the Duke."

He shrugged again even though the two of them were rarely making eye contact, each person staring off at something different and occasionally making sure they were still on the right path. The gesture was more reflexive at this point; he had been doing a lot of shrugging lately, and his shoulders were sore. "We can hardly expect the world to stop turning, no matter what may happen."

Except, of course, if he failed in his destiny.

Neither officer was terribly suited to small talk on the best of days anymore, but now, both seemed far more comfortable walking mostly in silence, aside from the occasional remark back and forth. When they reached the House Busser compound several blocks away, however, she turned to face him, looking in in the eyes. "Ladius. I think your companions are right, something about this whole situation makes me nervous. Wrap things up at Tannus quickly, and come back safe."

He nodded and smiled a bit, a somewhat unusual expression on his dour face. "Without a doubt. Don't worry, even if our intelligence is off, the situation should be well in hand. I look forward to sparring with you when I return; we've been neglecting our usual schedule." With that, the two said their farewells and Ladius' mind turned towards packing for a trip northward.

Mountain climbing certainly hadn't been on his plans for military advancement, but orders were orders, and he was slowly coming to a realization that he should have had long ago; shirking one's duties only leads to greater consequences down the road. Particularly for somebody balanced like a pin above the fate of a continent. Most people would have been rightfully proud for so much destiny and power around them; today, Ladius was scared.

_Gods protect us_.


	9. Absens Haeres Non Erit

**A/N: **_I'm quite happy with the pace this story is developing at; I've added quite a few words to the count and an entire new plot thread to the story in the past, oh, fifteen or so days? The muses must have aligned behind me for once or something. I did a lot of fretting over this chapter, but I fret a lot before every single release, and I've gone over this many times already, so it's about time to just publish and live with it._

_This chapter doesn't contain fluff or smut, but it does help a bit with character for a few, uh, characters, notably Sherufanir herself, who is somewhat the focus of the entire chapter given that she pushes the events of the plot forward several times in a relatively short span. This chapter takes place right after the previous one, and therefore before the other chapters set in this Gen. I've finally given in to my need to organize the story into a timeline; it's up at my profile, I figured that might be the easiest way to organize things, first by Gen, and then chronologically. I hope it helps._

_We're starting to get into territory summarized before by exposition/flashbacks in the first few chapters. Thank you for reading!_

* * *

><p><strong>Absens Haeres Non Erit<strong>

_Second Generation_

Ladius x Sherufanir

* * *

><p>With heart thundering and lungs crying out for air, Ladius was practically shaking from the exertion in his plate armor, looming over his opponent, greatsword poised with a single hand at her shoulder. She was a stark contrast to him in almost every way, with long, soft blonde hair, prominent inhuman fox-ears, a curvy, if athletic form, and an ornate, expensive dress. In her hands were a pair of daggers that had delivered many blows to his armor and what small bits of exposed flesh he had. She was so maddeningly quick, dancing around him as though fighting was an art form to her, but now, at this moment, they were both frozen in place, and he had the perfect opportunity to end her life.<p>

"I win," He said, voice unsure as he swallowed great gasps of air, struggling to steady his feet and his swordbearing arm. Given her sheer blinding speed and obvious sharp wits, a moment's hesitation might squander the opportunity he had endured throughout the fight for, a single error that would prove critical. She'd tripped.

It had felt like only the two of them existed ever since the fight had begun, but Ladius suddenly became keenly aware of just how many eyes on both sides of the rebel fortifications were watching. Insurgents peered over works of earth and wood at their greatest advisor defeated, silence pervading their side of the steep mountain pass, while cheers from the military forces aligned against the fort, and formed into neat rows going all the way down the pass, were nearly deafening. Company commanders unfurled the banners of the Kingdom of Grugund as well as their house banners, and they flagged proudly in the cool northern gusts.

A few moments of silence built the tension to a fever pitch. He was holding the hilt with both hands now, his nerves still flooding with flight-or-fight impulses and ready for the moment of treachery… which did not come. She was closer than he realized, practically pressing against him, and her own voice, smooth like velvet, was clearly audible over the cacophony. "You win." She opened her hands, allowing both of her daggers to fall to the dirt, and slowly turned her head up to look at him. "Now what?"

Their eyes met and the sheer intensity took what little breath Ladius had away; passion, a hint of fear, and… other emotions, swirling along, barely within his capability to comprehend. "Now… honor our agreement." With one last deep breath, he withdrew his weapon, sheathing it safely and then offering her his hand.

"As you wish." She sheathed her own weapons with two deft motions and then took his hand, holding tight and anchoring against his solid mass to get back on her feet. For a few moments, they just stood like that; neither person seemed sure what to do, their animal brains still locked into a fighting mentality, especially the woman, with her evidently strong neocollom blood. The strange lack of sense faded, however, and she let go, turning to face the rebel orderly who had accompanied her into the neutral ground between the two forces. "Tennich. Spread the word; stand down immediately."

The young man, with an unwashed face and tousled hair, dressed in loose leather and camouflage armor, a patchwork of confiscated supplies, looked every bit the part of a rebel leader, and he shook his head in disbelief. "You can't honestly expect us to give in so easily!"

Even dismissing ill omens and the disquiet that had followed his soul on the march north, Ladius' stomach had tightened the moment he spotted the rebel fort, and he had a sinking feeling that this was where things were going, with or without a wager or agreement. After all, he was sent here to resolve the situation, with the implicit agreement that part of the resolution would be crushing a good part of the rebellion in order to restore order, and in the process accumulating glory in battle.

Sherufanir's emergence from the rebel lines had dashed the original plan to the Hells, but also gave him at least a spark of hope of ending this thing without rivers of blood. Under a flag of truce, they had each negotiated on behalf of the government and the rebels, and come to an understanding; single combat, not to the death, would determine which side would back off. Unsurprisingly, his friends and retainers, and the rebels, for that matter, hadn't taken too warmly to the deal.

"We had an agreement," Ladius said, sucking in breath through his teeth as he regarded the rebel soldier standing with one hand resting in his hilt. Every one of the cuts that Sherufanir had given him during the fight, at least a dozen in total, started to really hurt now. "I swore upon the name of my father to uphold it."

Tennich fixated on him for a moment, focusing pent-up resentments at a single, relatively reachable target. "Your agreement was made with her! If she wants to surrender to the King's lackeys, that's her decision; she was an outsider from the start! The rest of us can't throw away our grievances!"

Being talked about in such a way, as though she wasn't standing right there, sat poorly with the neocollom, and she placed herself between the two men, putting up her hands. "You accepted all of my advice until now… but as soon as you get a taste of power, you're ready to toss me aside? I didn't join your movement for the fame and fortunes, you fool."

Vira-Lorr, who had been standing aside with the others and content to watch the proceedings, stepped forward now, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the de-facto rebel leadership. "Is this really a surprise, Ladius? Do you remember the tale of the scorpion and the frog?"

Sherufanir glared backwards at the seer. "Has it occurred to you that they have a reason to obstinate, though? This rebellion was not born overnight, or spawned from some imagined slight; House Maurice has been bleeding its people with crushing taxes and has driven countless thousands into starvation and poverty." Her eyes flickered to meet Ladius' again, and he could see a sort of panic as she stood between two obstinate forces. "Complaining to the local authorities only gets you beaten harder, and our attempts to contact the King and his government have met with no success. These people have no recourse left."

"Even if what you're saying is true…" He paused and shook his head. "And I suspect much or all of it is, by now… I cannot blame the rebels for lashing out. However, we were sent here to end the conflict by any means necessary, and as you can see, the bulk of my forces outweighs your own. To take up arms against me will only unleash their own destruction."

She looked back towards the younger rebel. "There is that, as well. Tennich, I see at least ten thousand men down that road, and we may not be getting the full measure of the punitive forces. They're all professional soldiers, as well. Even with the high ground, do you really think so highly of your chances? Their commander is an honorable man, he has promised to hear your plight and help us… it seems worth a shot to me."

"What do you know about anything, _outsider_?" He replied, obstinate to the last, steeling himself for a fight. Ladius knew just enough about contemporary language that the usage of 'outsider' again was a bad sign; it was a frequent term one used if one was a little too nice to shout 'half-breed' or worse.

"Oh, a few things. I can cook passably. You should see my writing. Ah, and I don't need much in the way of formal military education to realize how little chance you have of surviving this fight, if you insist on having it. If nothing may dissuade you, then… well. An _outsider_ like me won't have any reason not to walk away and watch you and your friends die, Tennich. I tried to save you." She stepped away from him, looking to Ladius. "It has come to this."

The paladin fixed his best drill-instructor glare upon Tennich. "So it has. Vashtor! Sound the alert, get our companies on line and make ready for an attack upon the rebel forces."

The larva standing with the other retainers nodded, drawing his blade with a single motion. He appraised the enemy quickly, dark eyes sweeping across a shaky, at best, force of irregulars. "Very well. We will only need the First and Second for this, I believe."

"Damn you!" Tennich shouted, balling his fists and standing defiant. "You pampered noble son of a bitch, you don't understand what living in the provinces is like! This rebellion reflects the will of the people; we fight for those who cannot stand against your tyranny!"

"Really? Then what good will fighting here accomplish?" Sherufanir demanded, getting right in the rebel's face and actually standing taller than he did, somewhat from her maturity and somewhat from her heels. '_She was moving like the wind in that fight_,' Ladius was honestly impressed when he noticed that. "Can't you see that they're going to kill you all? Any alternative is worth a shot! If you fight, there will be nobody to bring our issues to the powerful in the capital city; they'll dismiss it all and House Maurice will go right back to crushing your families for all they're worth!"

"How do you know that you can trust this man?" Tennich demanded, nodding towards Ladius.

"At this moment? I don't _know_! But I do _know_ that any other general would have started rolling you over ten minutes ago, you idiot. He accepted my terms, despite having the upper hand; that means he's not interested in a slaughter, unless you force his hand!"

Vashtor returned and the sound of drums and horns began to drown out everything else in the narrow pass, funneling the noise all the way to the fortifications. "On your order, my lord." Ladius glanced back to him, nodded, and returned his gaze to Tennich, face hardened into a mask, revealing nothing.

"Stand down, now," Ladius ordered, drawing his own greatsword and pressing it into the ground. Threatening Tennich personally didn't seem like the right move, at least now; going this far proved he was prepared, at least in theory, to face the military himself, but if Sherufanir's words and a little forceful show could persuade him… otherwise he was going to have a lot of blood on his hands. As a general, the responsibility for carrying out his orders and leading his men would fall to him alone, whatever happened today. "This is the last opportunity you ever get."

The ultimatum hung in the air between them for several moments as another round of drumbeats passed them and the cheers of soldiers below filled their ears. The relatively barren expanses of the upper mountains, under the frost line but above the tree line in the area, meant there was little but sandy or mountainous rock to impede the noise or the wind. Tennich flexed his hand a few times, and then abruptly reached for his blade, drawing it. Ladius tensed for an attack, but instead, his opponent tossed it on the ground.

"… Alright." He looked between Sherufanir and the general, and she at least let her relief show in her regal, keen features. Despite the defiance still blazing in the boy's eyes, Ladius stood at ease, as well. "If it's come to this, then… I won't force your hand. I'll inform the men. Don't expect everybody to go along with this, though."

"Many will, however," she replied. "And seeing half or more of their comrades lay down their arms, even the die-hards won't have the stomach to face the army alone. Thank you, Tennich."

Without another word, he turned and started up towards the open gates of the palisade, and Ladius watched his form disappear into the rebel lines. Without looking away from Sherufanir, he called back towards his second in command. "Vashtor. Stand down."

Despite the eagerness he could hear from some of his men for a good fight, showing that at least some of them had never been in a war before, Vashtor didn't have a word of complaint. He very rarely did, and the stoic man simply acknowledged the order and left down the sloping path to pass it on to battalion commanders. The rustling, cheering, and drumming eventually died down, leaving a vast gulf of silence between the two forces once again.

Ladius' friends went to him now, gathering around to talk more normally. Zerva was particularly impressed with the scene, especially given his sympathies with the rebels. "Good work."

Winfield nodded, although he kept his gun handy, idly twirling it after making sure it was unloaded first. "We're still standing on a keg of powder, milord. If either side feels like they're being threatened this could break into violence."

"We will avoid that at all costs," He said, determination still evident in his tone. He sheathed his weapon again and nodded to Sherufanir. "Many lives hang in the balance, and your actions tipped the scales today, Sherufanir. I gave my oath, and, thanks to you, I was able to keep it."

She bowed in recognition, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw the way Vira-Lorr and Ellis were both looking at her and knew it could mean trouble. The seer definitely looked like she didn't approve of this, or was worried about how troublesome it would turn out to be when they returned to the capital. Sherufanir knew from somewhat personal experience that the nobles there could be less than forgiving when one of the lower classes got out of their place. The elf, however, was the first to voice her displeasure.

"I cannot believe that we're going through with this, Ladius!" She exclaimed, pointing to the neocollom with her staff but, fortunately for her, not summoning forth her destructive powers yet. It just seemed to be a gesture she'd become accustomed to doing. "I understand you want to avoid a fight here, even though that will be seen as suspicious enough, but agreeing to offer sanctuary to these criminals? The Dukes would never-"

"Ellis, we'll explain that this was the most efficient solution," Winfield cut in, ducking out of the way as she pointed her staff at him now. "We can't attack them now that they've stood down and agreed to disarm, and we certainly can't march all of these people to the capital and lock them up. The jails aren't large enough, for one. Hailzen might have wished we'd handled things a little more tyrannically, but I think this move will be popular, especially in the provinces."

"I hope so," Vira-Lorr said, arms still crossed. "You know how he gets once he's set his mind to something. One way or another, we're on this path, and all we can do now is try to stay ahead of the tide."

Ladius certainly didn't want to disrespect the person that, even now, he saw more as a mother than a companion or equal. Worrying about how this decision would play amongst the nobles in the capital was understandable, even if he would rather keep his eyes on the human concerns at play here, and disagreed with her priorities. "Please, I've already given my oath on-"

"On the honor of House Busser and your father, Leonhardt, the legendary hero," She finished for him, tossing her long, beautiful pink hair to one side with a casual motion. "Ah, how odd it is to be afflicted so as a mother! I often think I raised you to be too diligent, you know." She looked between Ladius and Sherufanir, shook her head, and then took her leave, going back towards the military camps set up near the base of the mountain pass. Nobody went after her, at least immediately.

"Invoking Leo's name didn't help that, Ladius; you know that Ellis quite loved him." Winfield smiled ruefully. "At least back in Lucrellia people had some respect, but here, few know of our mission… and nobody knows what Leo did except for us, really."

With a sigh, the rebel advisor bowed her head a bit, producing her daggers to clean them idly. "It seems my coming causes an inordinate amount of trouble. My apologies."

Winfield seemed a little bit more at home with this situation than the others, or at least quicker to adapt. "Ah, no need for apologies, my dear! Given the situation and recent events, everybody is at least a little off their usual temperament."

"Perhaps we've all been a little too steeped in the politics of the capital city," Zerva mused, an almost-smile coming to his strong, distinct and nearly pretty syrium features. "I think we should be more happy that it didn't come to the worst today, rather than imagining what Hailzen or the others might think of our actions later, in the comfort of their manors and lordships."

Leaning against his sheathed greatsword almost as though it was a walking stick, Ladius agreed with the sentiment. "Perhaps." He wasn't a fan of airing so much of the internal tensions and differences between them in front of a person who was an outsider, and until his victory working against him, even though he could tell her true character by now was solid. At this point, though, the cat was already out of the bag; he would need to speak to Ellis later, of course.

He knew a lot of what Ellis was feeling, echoes from the loss of the Duke. It still seemed as though the great man's last day on the world was yesterday, the wounds were still fresh, and uncovered, and he was only barely holding himself in check with the responsibilities of his commission and his command at the moment. '_I only know too well what happens when you don't have these sorts of things to glue you together out of necessity… you start to fall apart_.'

Speaking with Sherufanir and hammering out the details of their agreement, with Tennich and Vira-Lorr hovering about and occasionally trying to ruin things, quickly convinced Ladius that, if nothing else, House Maurice had been badly using the people it was trusted to protect and govern. While he might have harbored his own personal doubts about some of the nobility, he had never expected Lord Gilliam to be capable of these sorts of tactics. His house was deliberately flaunting royal decree and national mandates and lining their pockets in the process, condemning entire villages to starvation.

"What's happening in the northern provinces is unforgivable," He told the assembled rebel representatives and commanders who had gathered under the truce to speak for their people. "Knowledge of this has been heavily suppressed, and the greatest weapon we can use to expose this tyranny is to bring it directly to the Council of Lords in the capital. With the weight of House Busser behind your petitions they will have no choice but to act."

One of the rebel officers, most of whom were elected officials of some sort, stepped forward to speak. "Unlike most of my friends, I am willing to give you a chance to bear out your noble words with suitable actions, oh Lord and Commander. First, Sherufanir extracted a promise of the right of sanctuary for the men before your duel, correct?"

Sherufanir seemed considerably better suited to speaking in front of large groups than Ladius felt, her voice speaking with an authoritative tone. "That's right, Tal. Ladius has agreed to honor our arrangement, including that provision. In exchange for the prisoners we took from House Maurice and the local tax offices, and surrendering our arms, everybody, including ourselves, will be granted sanctuary." Many of the men didn't look particularly thrilled at the bargain, as she expected. "If we were willing to cast our dice with death in battle, and agreed to this truce in the first place, what's going out onto the limb one more time? This man is different from the other nobles."

"How different?" Another of the men, noticeably older and nursing a bad leg, spoke up. "He came here of his own volition to put down our rebellion and put Gilliam back on his throne. At the very least, I propose we send a representative with you, Ladifour von Busser, to present our demands personally to the seat of power."

Ellis was still quite unhappy with the situation, joining the discussion just in time to hear his son disrespected again. "How dare you! We have already put ourselves in an incredibly delicate position with our mercy, and under the circumstances you are in no position to make further demands!"

"Forgive me if I don't show the proper deference for my station, elf," The officer replied, venom dripping from his words. Things had the potential to spiral out of control very quickly, and both Ladius and Sherufanir knew it.

"This gets us nowhere," Ladius interjected, growing truly annoyed now but determined to keep things on track. "Your caution is justified, and this demand is a reasonable one. Elect your representative, a single voice to speak for your cause, and we will escort them to the capital personally."

It didn't take the leadership of the rebels long to come to some sort of consensus, coalescing around Sherufanir herself. He didn't necessarily disagree that she would make a good envoy, but was a little confused by the choice. "Weren't you condemning Sherufanir as an 'outsider', Tennich? I'm sure you're not the only one who feels this way about her."

"At this point?" He replied with a sour smile. "Most of us agree that the words of an outsider such as her would carry far more weight with the nobility than ours would."

Before marching on Tannus, Ladius might well have said that such little faith in the system was a cynical mistake, but now, he certainly wasn't as sure of things as he once was. The idea that, through malice or plain malfeasance, the ruling classes could just miss the plight of an entire section of Grugund, was terrifying to consider now that he was staring it in the face. The abuses wrought on the people had produced this armed uprising as well as the countless people forced out of house and home, if they didn't just outright starve to death. Zerva's information as well as his sympathies had turned out completely justified, and he really was determined to keep the peace if possible, and shove proof of these abuses right in the Dukes' faces upon their return.

"Then so let it be written; so let it be done." Ladius produced a scroll and placed it upon the small table they had dragged out from the rebel camp, unfurling it. "As the leader of the punitive forces, I declare the rebellion, and the efforts to suppress it, formally concluded here. In my capacity as a general officer, I offer every man and woman under your command the right of sanctuary… in exchange for your signatures here, representing the elected will of the entire body, and offering your parole to me in the name of the Gods."

Not every signature was given neatly, or easily, or happily, but every single rebel present signed their names with the exception of Sherufanir, who was content to watch the proceedings, and occasionally saying something to the men as they approached to sign.

After releasing most of the hostages and escorting a few of the more important house officials with their army as they did Sherufanir, the punitive forces under the flag of the national military set out within the hour, forming marching columns and heading back down the narrow, treacherous paths that would lead them out of the Tannus range and onto the main highways headed south, back towards the capital city.

News of the events at the mountains seemed to travel faster than even the most skillful marchers, and aside from the occasional stray monster or criminal band on the roads, which tended to flee the sight of many thousands of heavily armed troops, all the army had to contend with on the trip home was the occasional traveler eager to hear 'the real story' and curious villagers in the few settlements established along the trade routes.

'_Well, and the woman who made it all possible_.' Whatever Ladius had initially thought of Sherufanir had gone out the window long ago, and he still didn't fully know what to make of her. Clearly, she wasn't, as many people assumed, shifty or dubious just because of the heavy influence of her non-human blood. Given his _history_ and the group his father saved Lucrellia with, though, he often put little stock in those sorts of old 'wisdoms' about the races, despite how steeped Grugund culture could be in it, sometimes.

Given that, he had still shared many of the same doubts as Vira-Lorr and Ellis before the match, but she was a skillful combatant who had pushed him to the edge of his endurance… and when she lost, she worked to save people who weren't exactly grateful for the help, honoring their personal bargain. Few things rated higher in his estimation than adhering to a code of honor, even if it wasn't identical to his own.

Despite his curiosity, though, he didn't pry too much, and he certainly wasn't in the habit of just coming out and asking about somebody like other people such as Winfield might. Fortunately, Sherufanir was somewhat eager to speak with him, and spent a good part of the army's journeys near him in conversation. She was not as shy, or stunted, as he was, freely offering an account of herself and happily removing some of the mystery that veiled her.

"I traveled quite freely," She told him. "Seeking something special out of life. A little vague, but honestly, I rarely have a clear agenda for my journeys. Over the past few years I have wandered, mostly through Grugund territory… and I've walked among the people. Always creating quite a stir, as you can imagine, but even from distance and privilege I could see that your peasantry suffered. Even the ones in the south, although at least they had a life and some expectations… in the north, things are particularly bad. Murmurings and plans had been in the works for some time, keeping me in the area, and when things reached the boiling point, I was there to offer my services." She brushed a lock of smooth blonde hair out of her face and glanced away. "I don't suppose you would approve, though."

It took Ladius a while to come up with an answer for that one in particular. "A darkness is coming, one beyond what men inflict upon each other… and it's my destiny to stop it, but it will be much easier to do that if we stay strong and stay united. Even so, I can't fault your decision to sign on with the rebels… or their decision to fight."

"Oh?" She seemed quite curious at this, justifiably so. Her animal ears twitched a few times. "Forgive me, but you do not seem an overly superstitious type. Quite serious, quite logical, solid as a brick."

That was definitely a compliment, and before he could put on a stoic face, he felt his cheeks heating considerably. "Ah. I am glad I put forth that sort of appearance, at any rate. Thank you." He felt his guard, carefully fashioned to keep most of the world at some distance, slipping. Even so, discussing the details of his destiny, especially at this juncture, was something he knew to avoid. "I certainly don't feel so steady myself. I do rely on prophecy sometimes, though; you have, uh, met Vira-Lorr, and she can see small bits of the future, although her powers are mostly blind nowadays."

She probably knew that he was deflecting the question, at least a bit, but went along, changing the subject up a bit and not bothering to bring it up again. There was more than enough to talk about on other subjects, from history and politics to his own traveling companions.

Winfield was more than happy to talk to the beautiful woman as well, although Sherufanir seemed like she barely noticed he existed sometime, except for some passing interest in him as the only human in Ladius' retainers. "It's thanks to his bracelet here that I'm so valuable, if I may humbly say so, dear Sherufanir," he volunteered, producing the incredibly well-crafted and inscribed bracelet that adorned his left hand, normally covered by a glove. "I went poking around with things I shouldn't have; I'm fully willing to admit that. This item, however, is truly a blessing, and a curse. The forces of darkness want the Bracelet of the Covenant dearly, and thus, so does Dyshana and her companions. I must be rid of it eventually, or I fear it will be rid of me."

"There are many ways to dispose of such an item, you all seem so capable," She said with a shrug.

"If only it were so simple," Dyshana said, entering the conversation without invitation and offering, as always, a little less than Ladius suspected she knew about any particular subject. "No craft of mortal men can break the Bracelet of the Covenant now… the only way to sever it from Winfield is to take some of his arm. Or, seal him away with it. Since this is unacceptable, we must find an alternative… before it works its inevitable effects upon his very soul."

"Until that point, however, there are a few perks to ownership," Winfield said, eager to emphasize, at least in his own mind, the positives of the situation. "The wearer of the bracelet can't die, for instance. Not until he gives it to the Lord of Darkness. Which I have no plans on doing."

Zerva joined in to add, "Since Dyshana led Leo and us to him, he hasn't aged a day. He's practically elven now." High praise from the syrium nationalist, indeed, even if his companions knew that he'd mellowed significantly since his days fighting against Gridamas. So much had happened between them and now, for all of them, and he was happy to recount at least part of it for Sherufanir. "I'm with Ladius about the rebels; I have respect for their motivations. If I were in their position… well, I was, once. And it ended up toppling the oppressors… although the cost was unthinkably high."

It seemed as though the journey back to the capital city took significantly less time than the trip out to Tannus, and Ladius knew he could only attribute a small part of that to the fact that they were generally going downhill now. Most days, the stiff face he put on for leadership and his solemn upbringing made him less than a great conversationalist, although compared with the two larvae in the party, he was only a hair shy of Winfield.

Sherufanir didn't seem to mind talking with him, though. In fact, she said as much, that she valued the perspective he had on life, born of an upbringing far different than hers. Her family circumstances had obviously been interesting, given her mixed heritage, and she even speculated that, some generations ago, a reported deity may have been involved somewhere. Ladius wasn't sure about that, but he'd heard of stranger things, like a family bound to a destiny of sacrifice by a mysterious and scantily-clad woman impossible to fully comprehend.

"Breeding between species should be fairly impossible- after all, that's generally what species _means_- but I think I know how it comes about, when it does." She seemed like she'd done quite a lot of thinking on this topic. "I know how stereotypical it is, but I think the necessary ingredient is love. I am only standing before you because, despite their differences, my mother and my father loved each other. I suspect many others could say the same."

Philosophy wasn't something he thought about terribly often, but something like that seemed to take the edge off darker ponderings on human mortality and, ultimately, his own destiny. He adjusted himself atop his horse and was about to reply when the pair crested a small hill and, further down the slope, the fortified capital city came into view, laid out like disorganized fields of stone and glass and sprawling across the lands. "Well, you wished to see the castle… here it is."

Their army was quickly identified, and sentries rode out to meet Ladius and confirm the news that had already overtaken them and reached the capital. No less than three couriers sought him out and requested his presence before the Council of Lords, which was of course perfectly reasonable after everything that had been going around about the events at Tannus, but also made his stomach curl up a little and die.

"I believe my first stop when we pass the gates should be the Council, Vira-Lorr," He told the seer, patting his horse and once again admiring how it bore a man in such heavy armor with scarcely more than a complaint. "I will deliver my report, and while I'm doing that, feel free to get the officials of House Busser together and begin drawing up the paperwork. I will inherit, even though I have no blood ties to my father… just as he wished."

"Excellent," She replied. "A load off of all of our minds, you know. I'm glad… for all the headache they're likely to give you, Ladius, I do agree with Zerva and Winfield. You made a good call there, and I'm proud of you, boy." Occasionally, Ladius forgot how old and wise Vira-Lorr truly was, but she always made sure to remind him, even if it was just through little gestures like reaching across horses to pat his mostly short-cropped hair.

There wasn't exactly a parade or fanfare waiting for the punitive force as it began to filter through the great front gates and march in excellent column down the wide streets, but the crowds on the paths did often stop and let out a cheer as they passed. Zerva pulled up beside the general as they made it through the gate. "The troops returning home, no matter how briefly… it's always a powerful thing," the syrium told him. "Particularly, I have to say, looking almost pristine. It's very rare to see an army leave, and then come back intact." Zerva had given up generalship himself ever since the victory in Lucrellia, but he did still retain a lot of interesting memories and wisdom from his career in the Frontier rebellion.

No sooner did Ladius see the retainers' horses stabled than Valeria approached, quickly informed about his arrival in the city. She was expressive, relief at seeing him intact obvious on her face as well as her voice. "Ladius!"

As he turned to face her, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sherufanir was now wearing a very foxlike smile. Ignoring that for now, he nodded to his childhood friend. "I told you we would have this affair wrapped up quickly. Please, allow me to introduce you. This is Sherufanir, the reason things ended as they did… and this is Valeria, whose generalship I hope one day to emulate passably." He nodded to both of them in turn.

"Very nice to meet you," The neocollom said politely, half-bowing to her, the grin never leaving her face for a moment.

"Eh?" Valeria hadn't noticed her at first, but now that she did, her face started to quickly change; it seemed like nothing about her was a particularly welcome sight for his friend. "I had heard the rumors going around about what happened but… so it's true? She is an advisor to the rebels?"

Ladius nodded. "Now she is their envoy. They have agreed to send her to speak on behalf of the rebellion and present their cause to the Council, when the time is right. I may also have need of her as a witness to these events, if it comes to that." He tried to brace himself, although, considering how mad he knew Valeria _could_ get when given the right set of provocations, she kept it relatively tame.

This development still left her simply outraged. "I can't believe it! You have brought the woman who may well have orchestrated this whole thing, and certainly stands as responsible as any of the enemy's soldiers, to our capital to _speak_, instead of a prison cell somewhere?"

Sherufanir's smile never wavered; in fact, to Ladius, it looked almost frozen.

Typically, giving as much as possible on a subject the redhead got so wound up about was a smart idea, but he couldn't really budge off of this position, after everything that had already occurred. He held firm, looking into her eyes. "I have sworn on an oath to protect her, and the other rebels, and extended them the right of sanctuary; they are criminals no longer, and have agreed to disband and trust that we will hear their suffering now." Perhaps _trust_ was an exaggeration, but they had no choice now.

"Doubtless because the political process has worked so well for the people in the provinces up to this point," Sherufanir added, and this didn't exactly diminish Valeria's anger.

"Even if we were so inclined to violate the right of sanctuary," Ladius said, his tone deliberate and taking on a manner that both women recognized by now, showing his determination, "Punishing her would serve no purpose but to stoke flames that are, with this truce, slowly dying down to embers. In fact, I must make my report to the Council immediately, Valeria. Would you escort Sherufanir to my manor for now?"

"Eh? Why me?" She replied, tilting her head slightly.

Her friend shrugged, the gesture exaggerated by his shoulder plates. "The others have gone on ahead already, and I've no time for it. I think you might be interested in what she has to say." She didn't have a good reason to refuse her friend, despite a very uneasy feeling in her gut, and so with little more argument they parted ways.

Valeria made sure Ladius was out of earshot, galloping up the road towards the citadel, before turning on her charge. "I'm only doing this for him," she announced in no uncertain tone, eyes narrowing.

"Evidently," Sherufanir replied, as though an aggressive general with a greatspear staring her down didn't faze her at all.

"If you try anything," she continued, hitting the ground with the end of the pole, "I'll run you through."

Well, at least there weren't going to be any surprises on their pleasant walk. "Of course. Please, lead the way." She took a bit of comfort from how Valeria agreed to lead; evidently she wasn't quite as on guard as she wanted to appear. At least that was something.

0-0

An orderly was waiting for him as he arrived at the castle, informing him that he was expected immediately, and he was quickly ushered into the higher levels of the citadel. In the audience chambers carved into the sides of the great throne room, vacant as usual, the Dukes Hailzen and Gilliam were waiting, along with a few guards posted here and there, who all allowed him to pass as soon as they caught sight.

Neither of the two lords, highly placed in the effective government of Grugund, looked particularly happy to see him, but that wasn't too much of a surprise. Despite their decorum at Duke Busser's funeral, it wasn't exactly a secret that he was unpopular with both of them, particularly Hailzen himself. He viewed any other source of possible competition, and House Busser was a serious source, as a potential threat. It was an instinct that served him well in house and national politics, but at the moment, Ladius had little time for it.

His eyes locked upon Gilliam, and despite his attempts at self-control, his gaze was more than a little accusatory. "I have returned from dealing with the rebellion in your lands, My Lord, and have learned certain things I must now beg to report."

Hailzen was the one to answer him, however. "Before that, Ladifour, we have a number of questions for you, based on what's already been going around through rumors. There has been much tell of the events at Tannus, and it's only fit that you answer this in person. What we've been hearing… is frankly quite disconcerting." Before Ladius could react, he continued, pressing forward. "According to multiple sources, you were seen giving orders to the rebel forces."

His stare was now fixed upon Hailzen, and while usually he was shown deference even by people who didn't like him very well, Ladius knew that he would soon become a Duke, technically equal and practically someone not to be trod upon. After narrowly averting the deaths of thousands, he knew he would have to answer to the man, but this caught him a little by surprise, and annoyance flared up. "This is in very poor taste, Hailzen."

The other man raised his arms in a plaintive gesture, looking away from him for a moment. "Neither of us could believe such a thing of you, of course, but word travels quickly, and falsehoods especially can propagate with amazing speed." He coughed and the air hung heavy with silence. "I think you will agree, however, that this outcome is unexpected? The complete surrender of the rebel force… neither of us expected such a thing could be achieved without heavy fighting."

"I made a deal with their representative and advisor," Ladius explained. "A rash deal, backed with an oath upon my house and my birth father. The gamble paid off, however, and the only rebel I ever commanded was their emissary, who is even now-"

To his surprise, Gilliam cut him off. "So what they have been saying is true… to a degree?"

"I would hope for your sake that much of what I heard from the rebels after my duel is not true, My Lord," He replied with venom in his tone. "Or else you would stand sore charged for many of the events in the north."

"Enough of this," Hailzen said, shaking his head. "There has been entirely too much made of entirely too little, I believe. Whatever claims the rebels may have made should obviously bear little weight in these considerations… especially given the more pressing issue."

"What is more pressing than the rebellion?" Ladius demanded.

"The people," He replied deftly. "Specifically, opinion throughout the capital has become quite suspicious of you, Ladifour. It does strain credulity to believe that an insurrection of this scope was put down so quickly, and so easily. They don't believe such a thing is possible… unless you had some other influence over the rebels than just your punitive forces, and a… game of chance."

"In the aftermath of a conflict, everybody becomes a general from their armchair," Ladius practically spat at their feet, even though decorum forbade it. While the trip home had been mostly pleasant, minus some camp followers and a bit of vague dread, the homecoming itself was quickly turning sour. "My commission empowered me to do whatever was necessary."

"Of course," Hailzen agreed. "I was the one who tendered that commission, after all, and I am quite proud of the news. However, my opinions are not enough to sway the people… many are calling for an investigation of the matter through formal channels. Or worse."

Ladius had known Hailzen many of his years on the world now, and didn't believe much of that. "Are they." His reaction was less a question and more a statement.

Gilliam jumped back in with this opening while he was slightly back on his heels in thought. "We know better than anyone how fickle the citizens can be sometimes, but especially with tensions still riding high, we can't seem callous and ignore these demands."

"So there is to be an investigation, then?" Ladius asked, eager to move on to an issue that seemed far more important to him, namely, the rebel allegations.

Hailzen nodded. "Yes, absolutely. We will take your statements, as well as those of the witness you brought to the capital, your officers and retainers… however, for your own safety, I believe it best if we keep you for a time at the castle."

Now that really jerked the general up short. "… What?"

"In short, Ladifour von Busser," Gilliam said, crossing his arms and adjusting his glasses on his sharp face. "You must allow us to place you under arrest for the time being."

"It barely needs to be said again, but we don't take many of these accusations seriously," Hailzen explained breezily. "This is more to send a message from the government to those who are concerned, and make sure we can conduct a proper investigation into the matter."

Stunned by this, Ladius tried to think of an objection that would work, but it was written clearly on both of their faces that this wasn't something they were going to budge off of. Had things really turned against him so badly in the capital? Vira-Lorr and Ellis had warned him that this course would lead to a lot of suspicion, and now they were proven right. "What is the charge, that you of course don't really believe?"

"Conspiring with the enemy in a time of war against the lawful government," Hailzen replied as though he had rehearsed this particular answer. "In short, _treason_."

Gilliam turned towards the guards who flanked the door and motioned for them to approach. "Captain, please escort Ladifour to the holding area for processing, and then bring him to the jails. Ensure that he is looked after properly."

"Yes, sir." Ladius knew enough about the internal politics and military structure to figure that the guards in the upper levels of the citadel were loyal to a fault, a feature he never thought he'd bemoan in an honor guard. He glanced back at the captain of the guard and found him ready to carry out his duty, hand on his hilt. "General? Please, come with us."

He didn't even contemplate resisting at that moment, despite the greatsword holstered at his side. "… Very well."

0-0

With no way to measure time and nothing to do once he was disarmed, processed, and placed into a holding cell for the night, Ladius found his confinement nearly excruciating. Grief about his adopted father came flooding back, even though he thought he's already conquered most of it or at least moved past the initial sorrow. These feelings mixed with worry for the future and a great, bubbling rage, directed at the two Dukes who had delivered the knife to his back expertly. Without marching to do or meetings to conduct or any way to divert himself, he feared he would soon start going to pieces.

He could barely tell when night fell, as most of the jails were either in darkness or sickly torchlight, and every single other cell in his area was completely devoid of life. He amused himself by wondering how jails administered by Hailzen were ever empty. Allowing himself to be arrested… he could have fought back. Perhaps he wouldn't have won, and it would certainly bring dishonor upon his house, but what a tempting thought as he sat imprisoned.

There was still a possibility, however slight, that they really would investigate the matter, and find that he had acted properly throughout the incident, even if his way of dissolving the rebels was unorthodox. Whether that was likely or all wasn't something Ladius allowed himself to dwell upon too much; not when there were so many other fine things to think about.

To his surprise, the one officer watching over him eventually packed up and left without so much as a word to him, leaving him alone in the abandoned jails after arranging for some food and water to last him overnight. Sleep was going to be difficult, however; these weren't horror-story dungeons, but the jail was fairly bare, and the bed provided for the prisoners proved just as hard and almost as dirty as the stone floor.

Ladius was trying to fall asleep when he heard noises, distinct from the faint echo of crickets in the distance; specifically, a set of clacks and metallic noises followed by footsteps, causing him to sit up and look around. His door was mostly solid with a barred window at the top and bottom, and he tried to peer into the dimly lit cellblock curiously.

Then he heard Sherufanir's tenor call out to him. "Ladius! Ladius, where are you?"

"Sherufanir?" He called back, poking his hand out of the door. "What… what are you doing here? Where's Valeria?"

"Ah, she left me after the news came out about your incarceration," She explained, looking around and finally locating his cell, coming into view through the bars. "Gone to the citadel to protest your treatment, I believe."

"What? Why would she do such a thing?" If there was one thing Ladius could count on with Valeria, it was that she had a strong sense of fairness and justice, although he'd expected her to be just as outraged as everybody else apparently was.

He saw her eyes change a bit, just for a few moments, and she shook her head. "Why, indeed. In any case, this left me rather unguarded, so I decided to go for a walk. I think a walk would do you good as well, so stand back…"

"Wait!" He crossed his arms severely. "The circumstances of how I got here… all of that doesn't matter right now. I won't compound my shame further by breaking out of prison."

She looked at him about the same way she might if he'd suddenly announced that he was made of cheese and chocolate. Her ears twitched. "Please tell me you're joking." Ladius wasn't the joking type under the best of circumstances, normally, and things were looking pretty negative right now. The neocollom let out a somewhat disbelieving huff. "Of course you aren't. I've never seen a person in prison argue _for_ their own custody before, you know."

The general tried to explain a little of what he was thinking, mostly about the investigation. "They aren't going to turn up anything incriminating, because there's nothing incriminating to turn up… I may not trust Hailzen or, obviously, Gilliam, but there are others on the Council as well. All I can hope for is that I haven't been put away for frivolous reasons."

As she was getting nowhere fast, she spent a few moments thinking of a way to get him onboard with the whole prison break, and only one thing occurred to her. This thing even had the virtue of being true. "This is a truly naked ploy, Ladius. Now that you're safely under control, they're going to go after House Busser. In fact, they're raising an army to seize your lands by force."

It was certainly an effective way to claim his undivided attention. "What?" He exclaimed, genuine shock on his youthful face. "That's not possible."

"I heard much of this personally." She let out a great sigh. "Particularly because it appears as though Valeria herself has been selected to lead this force against Busser." She saw the look on his face evolve from shock into horror and back to shock again. "Perhaps that also has something to do with why she's launched a formal protest against your punishment here. If it comes down to the wire, however, she seems like the sort of person perfectly capable of putting aside their feelings, doing their duty, _et cetera_. Good soldier values like the ones you doubtless have."

"'Which means she would do it'," he finished for her, and for once he found he had little to say, despite the shocking news. "Well. Although I can scarcely believe it… if that's the situation, then things truly have changed."

"Perhaps things haven't changed all that much; you just gained a new perspective to see your world and what it's really like," She suggested, her ears twitching again, although her eyes held mostly sympathy for him. "In any case, your friends and companions are gathering Busser officials at the compound tonight and preparing for something. If you stay in here to rot, then somebody else will have to take up leadership and defend your people from this attack by the central military. Can you live with that?"

The answer came as quickly and naturally to him as breathing did. "… No, I can't. Please, help me get out of here." He didn't sound particularly happy that things had come to this, and in fact, she detected true panic barely hidden, but at least he was ready to move now, and she had the lock to his cell open in mere moments. "I'm… going to need my equipment."

Sherufanir smirked. "Taken care of. Your surrender really turned them complacent for the moment, but our fortune is unlikely to hold for long. Let's go."


	10. Heart of Darkness

****A/N: ****_Well. This chapter was a bit late in coming out, even by my admittedly very slow standards. Apparently there's a reason for that, though; this chapter is, by far, the longest one I've yet written for the story. I'm not really sure how it got so enormous; I just kept working on it and adding more and more. I considered splitting it somewhere, but honestly, the Alzai Fen story arc, especially with Yayoi and Yamato, really should be one continuous thing, so eh. Here's a really long chapter. Chronologically, it follows after Chapter Nine and the flashback portions of Chapter Two. There's a chronological-order list on my profile to help out, as well._

_This chapter doesn't contain smut although it is slightly fluffy, and not just with Ladius and Yayoi as marked. Well, I'd say a few characters get a few scenes of characterization or development or something like that, but that's pretty much expected in a story. I put the finishing touches on this chapter just now and am staying up late to upload it. I'm actually pretty pleased with the end result._

_Very likely that the next chapter will switch back to Generation One. We've got a staple character to recruit, if nothing else, as well as introducing the last of the love interests for Gen 1. We'll see that when we come to it._

* * *

><p><strong>Heart of Darkness<strong>

_Second Generation_

Ladius x Yayoi

* * *

><p>After the first clash at Nagigahara, Ladius had discovered the foundations of his world shaken yet again. On the southern plains and sloping ground, both sides had been able to form a truly conventional land battle, with lines of infantry and ranged units in support fighting until a unit was broken and routed, scattering wounded and straggling men across the countryside. During the thickest fighting, Ladius and his retainers had confronted the leader of their pursuers, Valeria herself, and wounded her badly enough to force her to retreat, and encourage her superior force to close in around her instead of pursuing the deserters as they attempted to break off engagement.<p>

All of the tactical lessons that he'd completed over the years, all the training for a large-scale battle, helped him give form to a strategy and manage his ragtag group of former soldiers, but nothing had prepared him for how overwhelmingly messy it was. Not just in terms of the blood, although Nagigahara drank deeply of Grugund blood that day and thousands lied broken, shattered and ripped apart on its pitiless fields; commanders issued orders, only to find their units slow to obey, or breaking to rout, or even going off-mission to pursue fleeing enemies, breaking up the orderly formations and inviting true and open chaos.

The fact that these two opposing armies came from a shared homeland, and wore the same armor, and raised practically the same banners and drumbeats in the melee, only multiplied the problems once formations began to split apart, and keeping which unit belonged to whom straight was no small task, even as Ladius sounded a general retreat. His forces slowly began to break off from the meat grinder, streaming towards the south in little more than a rout and practically sacrificing the slow and the injured to be, at the least, captured by Valeria.

'_All this because of Tannus… because we wanted to avoid a civil war… and now it's here, realized in all of its myriad horrors_.' Although, technically speaking, that wasn't quite true; this was happening because the reaction to his victory at Tannus back home was quite different than what he'd expected. The leading nobles of the capital city had quickly placed him under arrest to investigate his actions, and with time and distance from his cell he realized just how little chance he'd ever had of a fair trial. The only reason he could still fulfill his destiny was Sherufanir, the rebel advisor, who, as soon as she'd broke him out and brought him to his friends under cover of darkness, had taken her leave, vanishing as though she'd never been there.

Her loss was keenly felt; he was truly adrift in all the blood, faith in the traditions and military upbringing he'd been given shattered and his loyalties betrayed. Ever since meeting her it was like his eyes had opened to the terrible truths at the heart of Grugund, and perhaps it was that more than anything that had led Hailzen and Gilliam to lock him up… and the others to just let it happen with little more than protest.

Apportioning blame for this didn't serve much of a practical purpose, but Ladius knew in his heart that he bore some terrible responsibility for the men dying out there, no matter whether they were loyalists or fought by his side. After all, it was his choice to not just flee the city with his friends, but instead inspire most of his punitive forces and House Busser regiments to commit open rebellion, deserting their posts and marching with him southwards. His intentions had been to shield the people of his territories against Valeria's conquest, but after the skirmishing and finally the full, devastating contact of Nagigahara, he knew he couldn't stop it. The enemy outnumbered him, badly.

'_The enemy_.' Good, loyal men, led by one of his oldest friends in the world, and now they were his deadliest threat. Allowing them to either kill or capture him would deny his legacy and his ultimate destiny, the purpose that took priority over everything else, even life itself. She had appealed to him before the battle was truly joined, but surrender was unthinkable in these circumstances, and now, he knew in his heart that things would never be the same, between them or between anybody.

The surviving forces under his command rallied some distance from the bloody plains, slowly coming back together and moving further and further south before they dared even slow their march. It was as if all of the men knew instinctively what Ladius suspected; that all the fighting of the day had bought them a very temporary reprieve, at best.

Valeria would come at them again, even if she was hurt too badly to join the fighting personally, and her fury was enough to make any sane man worry. He had broken out of prison explicitly to stop the conquest of House Busser lands by Hailzen and the others, but now he was quickly coming to the painful, humiliating realization that there was no choice left to him but to continue south and retreat past Grugund's borders and the river Rizel into the dark, murky depths of the Alzai Fen.

The Rizel separated each of the three great powers on Graccea from each other to some degree, and much of it was impassable, or blocked by the barrier mountains that formed the 'continental spine', preventing him from directly crossing to republican Fensarill territory and seeking asylum. The only navigable portion of the river he could reach without further clashes led directly to the swamp, and once there, he would simply have to push through until he, hopefully, found an area to cross westwards and return to civilization.

The others weren't thrilled with his plan, understandably so. "We've been here for the better part of twenty years now, I believe," Vira-Lorr said, motioning around them; even now, the ground was beginning to turn from dry soil to pools and shallow wetlands that only expanded further as they approached the Rizel. "No soul from either Grugund or Fensarill has ever attempted to enter the Alzai Fen and find this 'southern pass' despite the legends. We'll be the first, and there's little way to tell what we'll find there."

"Swamplands." Zerva looked quite unhappy at the prospect, having grown up in the fairly temperate Lucrellia; Grugund wasn't too bad, although a bit warm for his tastes, but there was nothing like the Alzai Fen back in his homeland. "The closest thing I'd ever seen until now was the great forests that buffered Alfheim from the rest of the towns. Local reports say monsters, real monsters, not the practice dummies that crop up every now and again, prowl in there."

"I would much rather avoid this march entirely," Winfield announced, approaching the rest of the group bearing a fistful of papers. "But our choices are starkly limited. I'd rather run to the devil I don't know then face Valeria again, to poorly use an old expression." Without prompting, he presented the papers to Ladius. "We're starting to resemble an army again, Milord. Most of our forces found their way to us over the past few hours, and I've sent some guys ahead to the river to make sure it's navigable."

Ladius nodded in acknowledgement, glancing down the small hill he'd found to perch on so he could actually watch stragglers or small groups emerge from the north and approach them. Farther south, the river was just coming into view on the horizon past an old, and distinctive landmark, the scorched-looking soil of Hazius' Scar. "Good. Making it this far was an achievement, in my opinion. What of the wounded that we could bring with us?" Specifically, his thoughts were on one person at the moment.

The near-constant smile on Winfield's youthful-seeming face faltered. "Triage is ongoing, but we left most of the worst cases where they lay, so most of the ones we recovered should pull through eventually. Ellis herself is resting pretty comfortably near one of those things we're forming that might eventually become a camp. Borgnine's doting on her, and I really mean that; he runs off to get her any little thing and practically snarls like a guard dog if any of the medics come over to help her."

The injury that one of Valeria's elite guards had delivered to the person he thought of as his mother was certainly worrying, a slice across the back, and it had stolen a lot of blood from her, but some healing spells and prompt bandaging saved her life. As he understood it before he let the medics carry her off, she was in no immediate danger besides the enemy forces massing in the north. Even among the ones that he could recover while retreating from the field, there were others who weren't going to be so fortunate, losing limbs or even hanging a thread from death.

"If our goal is speed, then the heavily injured may slow our progress," Dyshana said over his shoulder, crossing her arms. She had reserved almost all advice from the battle, only offering a few pointers, and Ladius got the distinct impression she was out of her depth. That was an interesting thing to see from her, although what she was suggesting now… he wasn't willing to consider that yet.

"They almost certainly will," He replied without looking back towards her. "We've left enough behind today, though." Given all the people sacrificed to get to this point, he realized how hypocritical that stand was, but he would take any little thing at this point that could offer some mental comfort. Perhaps he was just simply pushed past his breaking point, as well. '_I thought that had happened already… I guess we have a lot of lines in our minds that would be unthinkable to cross_.'

"We will find darkness within the swamp, Ladius," She told him. "Perhaps not servants of the Dark Lord, but, as you have found recently, there is far more than one type of darkness in this world. There are types you have yet to see, and bringing these men into the Alzai Fen is not a mercy."

Now he looked back, meeting her eyes, and she saw in his face something she'd not seen since Leonhardt, something Ladius hadn't shown until now. "They chose to be here, every man and woman. They're working to preserve your deal with my father, and me, so I don't see your problem with this, Dyshana." With that, the conversation ended, and she found her way from him with her trademark quiet. "Winfield! Put out a call for volunteers for the rear guard, no more than two hundred. We'll stay until the last of us are across into the Alzai Fen."

"If they come back before we're across, they're going to have a lot more than two hundred," Vashtor said, finally returning to him after finding himself lost in the confusion of the fighting, trying to drag stragglers and deserters back into the fold and scouting out Valeria's pursuing army.

"Of course, but if we meet their attack instead of waiting for them, we'll force them to go on line or risk fighting in a poor formation. Either way, it'll take them valuable time to get organized, even if they're fresh, and we only need to stall them a limited time." Columns for marching were relatively thin yet quite long, often three or four abreast, whereas infantry lines took the opposite approach, very long but four-or-five deep. If a force was expecting a huge brawl, it might thicken up more to put more bodies in a tighter space, or, if it were fighting a smaller force on open ground, would definitely try to spread out and envelop the enemy, but either way, a formation for fighting was hard to wheel around and move quickly. Only years of military training and drills for full-scale war made such maneuvers possible at all; this wouldn't have been a worry against the rebels at Tannus, who more than likely had a 'toss everything immediately at the enemy' strategy, since anything more complex was hard to pull off successfully. '_We're going up against Grugund regulars, however. The finest military on this continent_.'

Vashtor nodded, took a few moments to survey the situation from the mild hilltop they'd achieved, and then started towards the south without another word, working to organize the command structure again and get things under control. Winfield bowed to him and started down the hill as well, seeking out other messengers to get the word passed around despite the disorganization.

"How are you holding up, Ladius?" Vira-Lorr asked him, crossing her arms. "Every one of us might be rusty, but at least we've been in the thick of a real war before… it doesn't feel like it helps much, but I imagine things have been too turbulent for you." Ladius wasn't a fan of sudden changes at the best of times.

"I've been training and preparing for this… or something like it, anyway, although losing my father and then my best friend… my title, lands, the house I grew up with… I suppose we've only got a few things left to hold fast to, so I'll keep moving forward, and we'll all make it through to Fensarill, no matter the cost." He reached out to take her hand for a moment and a blush met her face, although she knew it was more of a familial gesture.

"I'm glad to hear that," The seer said, extracting her hand and finding a task for herself further down amongst the main body of their army. Soon enough, Ladius departed southwards as well, after ordering a few more scouts to keep an eye on the enemy's activities, as much as possible. With so much chaos and confusion following Nagigahara, even recon missions far away from Valeria could turn disastrous if a stray or two came across the scouts.

Fortunately, the scattered information they'd been able to glean from people living in the area had proven reliable, and Winfield's men quickly confirmed that shallow-bottomed boats were capable of crossing the strong current of the river and safely landing on the opposite bank, a forbidding barrier of thick swamp trees that seemed to cloak the lands behind them in a curtain of darkness. Every able-bodied man was immediately set to cutting down the sparse forestation on the north bank and crafting as many quick and yet reasonably safe transports as could be constructed. Each one was basically a canoe, capable of carrying several people, and keeping them small and light allowed the army to start moving a forward party led by Vashtor and the wounded across within the hour.

Much of the excess equipment that the deserters had carried with them in supply trains had been lost during the fight, abandoned or captured by the enemy, and the force was traveling relatively light, hoping to find something to supplement their rations within the Fen or to cross it in a matter of days. Keeping the men moving kept morale from buckling even as fires began to show on the horizon and the scouts reported hostile probes moving in their direction, not to mention cutting down on ruminations on the supply situation or the casualties they had already taken.

Very few of his company knew much about handling boats, given that crossing the Rizel wasn't something that anybody really did unless they were headed for a titanic war with the other powers. A couple of former fishermen were drafted, however, stepping up to handle the transports as they were made and ferry small group after small group. Winfield and Zerva were also able to contribute, piloting transports across and eventually handing off to Vira-Lorr. Even Vashtor was able to help out there after he finished organizing the troops.

The larva who served ably as his second in command wasn't thrilled about leaving the rear-guard action, but, as usual, offered little complaint and left via boat minutes before messengers began to seek out Ladius and report. The Grugund military was getting organized, even faster than the rebels were managing, and he ordered the men to step up the pace of the evacuation, overloading the boats by a man or two each time and pressing their margins of safety right to the limit.

Valeria, scorned, outraged and murderously furious with him, wasn't going to give an inch, and she knew without a doubt that she had the upper hand in this engagement, allowing her to dictate the terms of the battle. Hostile skirmishers began to chase off Ladius' scouts and then clash with the deserters guarding their makeshift camps, raising quite an uproar, and he led his volunteer force to the front to engage the enemy and cut any advance short.

So far, though, only small groups made it past their forces, and those were quickly cut up by reinforcements; on the horizon, Ladius spotted weightier units marching towards them, many of whom might have fought and bled at Nagigahara, but they all looked ready for a real fight. "I never truly appreciated how much art is involved with the retreat of a while army," Winfield told him, shaking his head. "Two of our boats have capsized so far, and we've lost about a dozen from our haste. Should we really step up the pace even more?"

"We don't have a choice," Ladius replied evenly. "With the wounded and the heavily damaged companies already across the river, we can afford to press everybody to the limit… even if we sustain further casualties, it would be preferable to staying longer and facing more of Valeria's wrath. Send the word, and inform the camps that the military is coming."

Now, their backs were to the river and time was working against them, and he knew that his men would fight with the determination and ferocity of a cornered animal. This was the mentality he had to adopt, focusing angst and rage into a concentrated determination to hold the line just long enough to get his men across and then fall back. The situation rarely got more textbook or stark.

He drew together as many of the company commanders as he could find and addressed them with a few words to this effect. "Meeting Valeria a second time as we did at Nagigahara, with banners out and charging straight ahead, will only produce ruin. All we need is an hour, or two, or three, and we'll get everybody across. The faster the evacuation goes, however, the more desperate will be our situation as we try to hold on. Every unit will fight, every unit will be pressed. There are no reserves, and there is no respite until we get away from Grugund soil. We will be hunted like animals… but our enemy dares not follow us into the Alzai Fen. I would avoid it myself if everything weren't on the line here." He glanced towards the swamp and then back to his officers.

"If you want to take your chances evading Valeria as a man, or small groups, and make your way back north, now is your last opportunity. Otherwise, we carve through whatever we find in the Fen until we hit daylight. I only promise hardship for many of us… and that at the end of it we will get to Fensarill. I swear this on the name of my father and our late, great House Busser and all of the stature it used to have." He folded his arms and regarded the men.

Many of them looked worn to the bone already, and he saw bleak prospects in many eyes as they contemplated their choices. Even if the stories told to them as children were just that, stories, the Alzai Fen was still the last place on Graccea that anybody wanted to be. Silence hung in the air as time stretched on one moment at a time. Everybody looked to each other, and several, as many as a fourth, of the commanders came forth. "I'm sorry," the oldest of House Busser's captains said, nursing his arm, heavily bandaged, his stance clearly showing that he was close to defeat already.

"That's my line," Ladius replied. "We're only in this situation because this is where I've led you. If you want to get off the ride and have a shot at surviving… I can't fault any man or woman for choosing that. Pass the word around to everybody still on our side of the river. Only willing troops board the boats. Otherwise, I plan to lead a counter-attack with the rear guard once the enemy presses in; join us, and in the confusion of the battle, make your escape and put as much distance between yourself and Hazius' Scar as you can before stopping."

Word got around quite quickly and an unsurprising number of the men wanted to chance running home, even if they had to conceal themselves or live as outlaws. Rebellion was certainly likely to flare up again in the wake of Hailzen's new, less cuddly policies being rolled out and his efforts to crush House Busser and seize their lands for the national government. Ladius was only surprised more weren't going, but part of that was no doubt practical worries about trying to get past such a large and disciplined force… and what the fate would be of anybody Valeria's troops captured.

At this point, there was no quarter asked, and no quarter given. Ladius ordered that instead of the banners of House Busser, the rear guard was to display the Black Flag. He also personally made sure that if a company disbanded to head home, their banners were brought to the other side of the river and kept with their meager supplies. Worrying over trinkets and symbols kept him busy until the time was upon him to face the enemy again.

His retainers and friends, save Ellis, Borgnine, and Vashtor, were there with him at the head of the rear guard. As he cast his eyes about the erratically-equipped deserters that had volunteered for the bloodiest detail, he saw far more injuries than he expected. "Many of these men will not be withdrawing with us, even if we do our best," Dyshana said to him solemnly. "They know that, Ladius."

He gave her one glance and she found his gaze as inscrutable in that moment as he found hers, before he coughed a few times and then projected to speak with the whole company. "This is it! Everybody else in the army is geared up to run but we have no choice in this matter. We fight, or we die. Stay close and follow my lead into the heart of our enemies! Dress to the colors and crowd around them and show them your formation! Force them to acknowledge us, and strike fear into their hearts despite their numbers! Battalion! _Make ready_!"

"_Make ready_!" Officers echoed his command across the ranks and a great noise and clatter went up as the soldiers prepared whatever weaponry they had chosen, their ranks tightening up.

Ladius didn't even need his field glass at this stage to see Valeria's front ranks, still in marching column and heading at a very brisk pace straight for him. They had to see him by now, as well. The ground sloped into hills that would frame the fight, but the terrain was still mostly flat, if wet and soggy from its proximity to swamplands. "Good, open ground for a general melee…" He murmured to himself. "For a smaller force in a delaying action? I could ask for better." The general turned to Winfield. "Run to the sergeants down the line and make sure the plan is firm in their minds. We need to buy enough time for the others to get away."

The rogue nodded and took off at a trot towards the rest of the deserters, and Ladius let out a sigh. "I wish Ellis could see you like this, Winfield…" he murmured. "It might soften her opinions…"

"We don't have much in the way of artillery, do we?" Zerva asked, coming up beside him and gesturing to the two-dozen bowmen who made up most of their ranged forces. The bulk of the rear-guard would be getting up close and personal, as per the strategy of forcing much larger sword and spear units into a conventional fight and keeping them from advancing through ferocity more than sheer power. Just as retreating to the Alzai Fen and trying to cross into Fensarill was a last-ditch move on his part, however, the attack strategy for his units was a sheer ploy of desperation and didn't really rise to the level of good military planning.

Still barely able to cope with how he'd been betrayed and was now rendered an outlaw to most of Grugund, Ladius' mind felt like it was constantly playing catch-up with the latest events. '_Today my childhood friend swore a vendetta against me and I got thousands of soldiers killed for my personal freedom. Hm. Oh, and there's this. A suicide charge_.' He glanced backwards to the river and found that they didn't have a ton of room to withdraw if things went south.

"Only one way to go now, and not much daylight left, it looks like." The day had already lingered too long, but the sun seemed almost hesitant to drop past the horizon, struggling to stay up and watch his company's desperate struggle for survival.

0-0

The northernmost shrine was quite a walk from the village. In fact, the treacherous miles of hills and dense trees in the swamp were enough to discourage all but the most hearty of pilgrims. Navigation routes got more tangled and far harder to follow as one went north, and even for a sacred priestess, the journey took from dawn till dusk to even reach the shrine and light the old candles.

Yayoi didn't necessarily mind a day or two to herself, however. There was a lot to think about, both from a religious as well as a personal context. '_I suppose the day will be coming, soon enough…_' She regarded the sky, brilliantly orange and red through the canopy which already hid the setting sun, and then turned to kneel before the graven idols of the Guardian. '_Sometimes I can almost forget…'_ Her diligently-trimmed night-black hair fell around her young, smooth face as she bowed near to the ground.

No matter how much one wanted to stretch the day to last forever or hurry the coming of night, time seemed to care little. The sun proceeded at its own inexorable pace, with no earthly force seeming to affect it in the slightest, sliding across the sky and bringing warmth and light. '_All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again_,' she thought to the idols, reaching out with her hands to brush across their cracked, weathered stone surface. Her own hands were probably the only part of her that hadn't been pampered and protected, and she bore her own scars and callouses there.

Her contemplations were interrupted as she felt her own eyes watering, as though suddenly noticing that she was bleeding. Yayoi gasped, wiping with the sleeve of her white and red ornate robes. "Why… why am I…" Her voice was deep, yet young and shaky, and she drew in a few halting breaths full of fragment incense. "Why can't I find peace any longer in my mediations?"

The idols had no reply for her, and she looked up once again, only to find the sky similarly silent. For a time, as night fell, she simply stayed at the shrine, heedless of any beasts that might come across her. They avoided that area reliably, however, and she was far more capable than her appearance might suggest to the ignorant. As was true of the past few nights, she found sleep difficult, dreams haunted by omens and visions that contrasted so sharply with the peace, and emptiness, of the remote shrine.

When the _miko_ awoke, the only thing she knew for certain was that something was coming. Of course, she knew what that something was likely to be, but the visions weren't clear. In the village, it was worse, but out here, she could still no more discern the future than a fish could discern the air until it leapt up.

After a hearty meal, she returned to her contemplations, and she seemed lost to time, if even for a little bit, enjoying one of the best things about the responsibilities that took her past the Old Yamato Republic's high stone walls. She traveled to pray at the shrines whenever possible to get away, and often, while within the enfolding, murky depths of the Fen, she contemplated simply continuing north or west until she reached the river, and then crossing it and departing from her duties.

Something far more powerful and effective than the walls kept her in Yamato, however. A lifetime of values and commitment had formed her, and she couldn't resent such a great part of herself, nor could she deny that her duties, even the most final one, were the reason that Yamato continued to exist and wasn't swallowed up by the great river.

The society hidden within the darkest reaches of the swamps and sustained by the bountiful overflow of the river was secure from attacks by monsters or beasts and completely hidden from the other civilizations on Graccea, scarcely aware there was a world outside the buffering Alzai Fen. The Guardian watched over his people, regulating the river waters, the wild beasts, and even shielding their tiny paradise from prying outsiders and adventurers… and all he asked in return was an occasional tribute.

It all sounded quite reasonable and even like a good deal for the Yamato as long as one wasn't in a position such as hers. As time marched on, however, slowly stripping away the layers of coping mechanisms and pious meditations, she was slowly coming to grasp the nature of despair. It was a wretched, deathly thing that whispered to her every day, and she suspected that when the time finally came she might view her duties as a merciful reprieve from continuing to live like this.

Yayoi had to keep it together, and when the time came, she would carry out her duties stoically, just as she'd been taught since before she could speak. At any rate, she wouldn't surrender to her despair so easily, and eventually she worked up the will to return home, her duties to the shrine fulfilled for now. To postpone her arrival just a bit, she decided on a very indirect path, taking the northern trails almost to the river itself and then turning downwards to head to Yamato. It would take even longer than the hike to the shrine, and that was fine.

Destiny did in fact have something planned for this trip, however, just as she felt. After blasting her way past a few of the Fen's lesser fiends, she found herself on the unmistakable trail of _people_. A large group of people, in fact. No creature made such a distinctive mark upon the lands, particularly in such numbers; she found abandoned campfires and detritus of all kinds scattered about and wide swaths cut through the tangling swamp foliage. This was unprecedented; she'd never even heard of intrusions by the outside of more than a brave explorer or two, who often met their ends in the depths.

Seized with curiosity and concern in equal measure, for this great group was marking a course in the general direction of the Old Yamato Republic, the priestess decided to follow, having little trouble making her way with the huge wake cut through the swamp. She did occasionally stop at another camp area, however, and took a moment when she started finding stone markers that looked hastily built around the abandoned camps. When she leaned in to look at the markers, several symbols were carved into them, as well as strange, foreign-sounding names.

'_Possibly burial markers of some sort_,' she realized, and then looked up, seeing dozens more scattered about, and as she continued following, she only saw more of the markers. Such simple things upset her stomach and she had a lighter lunch, particularly since she was travelling.

Catching up to them wasn't much of a task, and within a few hours, she started to see more direct signs, fresh trash and marks upon the land, and even a tent abandoned here and there, as though the group was slowly shedding its supplies and provisions. If this was some sort of scouting or invasion force of outsiders, she was becoming less afraid; the swamp seemed to be doing a good job of slowly whittling them like a patient craftsman, eroding bit by bit.

Finally, she started to hear voices, human voices, and took a bit more care, moving from concealment as she closed the final part of the distance and spotted shadowed figures ahead. The Alzai Fen had been around her for her entire life, and she was capable of blending into it almost as well as one of the countless creatures that called it home. In fact, she was able to slip past several patrols of men, spotting their weapons and armor, which, as everything else, appeared entirely foreign to her. Steel was steel, however.

Despite the danger she could be in, she pressed on, especially since the group appeared to have stopped, and was only brought up short when a particular male voice projected across the dark foliage and tree cover. "… commit the souls of the fallen to the Gods… Another fifteen of our… disease again… two also succumbed to their… encounter with the beasts…"

Slipping closer and closer, she could make out what the speaker was saying, and finally broke the final line of cover and practically stumbled onto a clearing, carved out to admit many hundreds of foreigners, who were gathered around in groups, mostly sitting upon the wet and mossy ground, all looking towards a small group in the front, comprised of obviously inhuman people… and their leader, the man who was speaking, clad in heavy armor and wielding in one hand a greatsword stabbed into the dirt. Her eyes naturally focused on him, mainly because everybody else was also looking to him as he spoke. It was obvious that this was their leader.

"Without a viable alternative, we will continue to bury where they fall, but our markers… and my logs… will not allow them to be forgotten. We will not allow ourselves to forget those who are lost, whether to battle or other causes. We cannot allow ourselves to forget their sacrifice. We stand on their backs as we scramble for safety."

He looked from the latest burials towards the main body of the crowd, looking out amongst the diverse troops assembled. "Don't think the murmuring has escaped me, either. Maybe these are the lucky ones, right? Their struggle is over. Nobody will ask another mile, another day, another fight from the fallen. If you think that, put it out of your mind, because thoughts like that are more lethal than the most virulent of plagues."

Yayoi huddled close to the tree as his glance turned in her direction, and she still nearly cought his eyes. In them, she saw something surprising, considering his youth. Well, his attitude certainly reflected something tough, something determined to get through the swamp… but to what purpose? "Whatever the struggle is, the true enemy is the same; despair. I know despair well. It and death have been our companions through this march, and… ultimately, these men, as all of our casualties, rest on me. Death kills your physical form, but despair kills your spirit. Whatever happens, we will not die here. We will press forward, because that is the only option available to us besides giving up. The fate of our world rests upon this. So we will continue. We will not stop. We will get through this damned swamp. That's the only way this story ends."

"Dismissed!" The taller, and darker, man standing beside the leader announced, and that single world broke up the huge gathering. Groups of men withdrew further out of her sight while others remained in the area, sitting down and breaking out provisions, talking in low voices that barely equaled the background noise of life in the Fen. She looked to him now, and saw his red hair… and after a moment of alarm, recognized that he also appeared to be somewhat on fire. It wasn't bothering him, though, and the fire seemed to wax and wane, integrating itself into his shiny black battle plate. The armor was jagged and only added to his intimidating appearance.

In fact, few of the leader's group, which now gathered together to talk in an almost-whisper she couldn't catch, didn't look intimidating. By far the cutest one there was an elf girl, an astonishing sight amidst a parade of new things to Yayoi, with long pink hair and white gauze bandaging wrapped around her somewhat ornate, yet simply designed, dress. The others… a man in a rough brown coat with black hair and jovial eyes… a woman in robes that looked quite different, and a bit more daring, than her own attire and who sported an eerie third eye atop her forehead… another being that resembled the first dark man, broad, less covered, heavily muscled, and apparently covered over in a bit of fur or darkness or something.

Yayoi was just beginning to think it was time to go when the big, dark guys exchanged a few words and looked straight at her. After a moment of surprise, she ducked back behind her cover, only to turn around and find a woman with long teal hair and piercing eyes standing before her with her arms crossed. "Ah!" This woman was wearing a black dress that made even the most outlandish outfits in Yamato look modest, and the _miko_ couldn't help her wandering eyes for a moment even as she backed up against the thin oak.

"How long have you been following us?" She asked, voice very quiet and deep, and the two locked eyes for a moment before Yayoi looked down. It wasn't necessarily from intimidation, although it was tough to face somebody who gave off such a powerfully calm and yet all-encompassing aura.

"Not long enough to overhear much… but I know you're outsiders."

The strange woman's expression didn't change one bit, but she did back off a step or two, and glanced over as the others moved over to join her and spotted the shrine maiden. "Good. Then I'm glad you stumbled upon our force when you did. Ladius, she is a native of the Fen." Under the relatively long sleeves of her robes, Yayoi reached for her knife very quietly, gripping it until her hand began to bleed. Her heart thundered in her ears and made it difficult to hear for a moment or two.

The man who had made his speech stepped around the group, sword out but held limply in one hand and dragging across the ground. "Dyshana, how did you… forget it, that's for another time. Excuse me, milady. Is that right?"

One of the big, dark ones, the one with red flames and armor, stepped forward as well, and he loomed over all of the others and certainly herself. "Why were you following us?"

Still in full-blown panic mode, she realized the outsiders had pretty well boxed her in, although Ladius motioned for them to back off a bit. She was still watching for an attack, slowly and carefully gathering up her energies. If they tried to rush her or restrain her, she could use the moisture on the ground and in the air and emit a pulse that should send them reeling, especially if they aren't expecting it… at least long enough to let her escape.

If they were going to talk, though, then she would talk as well, even though she'd received the same training about outsiders as the other villagers. "Because you're outsiders," she repeated herself, struggling to keep her voice level and sound unafraid, maybe even belligerent. That wasn't working too well, though; she was too soft-spoken, generally. "Outsiders, particularly in such numbers, are very rare occurrences here." Did they know that they were going in the direction of Yamato? If so, for what purpose? How could she ask that without giving away something?

"Believe me, it was a last resort." The woman with the third eye crossed her arms and smirked, but the attempt at a quip was lost on everybody involved, particularly the _miko_.

Perhaps noticing that she was coiled like a spring, Ladius decided to sheath his weapon and motioned for the others to do the same, and each complied, even the dark ones, who both looked rather sour at this. "Let's stand down," he said in a tone that implied some authority. "Dyshana is right, though, as usual. Another person out here is a sight for sore eyes."

"… Why are you here?" She asked. That was a broad, general question. Her eyes flickered to each outsider in turn until she turned back to face Ladius, realizing even he was a bit taller than she was, he was broad, although she didn't know how much of that was gray armor. Her immediate startle-panic reaction and her fight-or-flight instincts were starting to cool down since a fight hadn't broken out yet.

Ladius and the red-haired dark one, the one who seemed to be a second-in-command or authority figure of some sort, exchanged a glance, but Ladius shook his head. "Honestly? We took refuge in the swamp and plan to find a way to cross the Rizel river westwards. We haven't had much luck in that endeavor… or made much progress through this area in several days."

Yayoi found herself letting out a breath she scarcely realized she'd been holding, she slowly slipped her knife back into its hiding place. What she had suspected, that this was certainly no invasion force intent on destroying Yamato, had now all but been confirmed. If they didn't know of the city in the Fen, then it was unlikely that they were here to attack it, and she saw nothing in the man's face to suggest he was lying or even holding anything back. She did see other things, however, things she had learned through training and intuition to find, along with her great spiritual gifts. It was almost as though looking at him was enough to unfold his life's story.

Another of the group, the man with long, black hair and a smile, spoke up. "I'd go so far as to say we were practically lost. We didn't have much of a plan to begin with, but it seems like every hour in this swamp is a slog through beasts and water alike… If you've been following us, it's likely you've seen our trail."

"… Yes, that's how I found you. I saw the markers… and when I found you, I saw that what I thought was true, and those were men buried there…" Each of the outsiders save the two tall, dark ones and Dyshana gave some reaction to this. She winced a bit in pain as blood began to trickle from her hand, but with her capabilities, particularly her specialization in recovery magics, she would be on the mend soon enough. Now her reaction to them seemed a bit overblown, and she could sense their plight, as well as the general aura put out by the large groups of other soldiers.

The elf girl with the pink hair spoke up. "My name is Ellis. This is my guardian, Borgnine." She patted the purple dark one on the arm and he nodded slightly. "I was one of our many wounded until recently… and we're running low on supplies. Can you help us?"

Yayoi unconsciously clenched her injured hand a bit and drew it close to her breast, looking around at the outsiders once more. Each of them showed subtle signs of desperation or just fatigue, even the ones who looked utterly composed, and it was impossible to maintain her fear due to this. Were a villager to invite a literal army to the hidden city and its people, there would be consequences for all involved, but she had the respect and even worship of all Yamato. Nobody failed to recognize what she meant for the town and its continued survival, and if she felt it safe to offer them shelter, few would object. "… Yes, I can. We're not terribly far from my home. Please follow me."

As quickly as the deserters could manage, they struck their camp, gathering those too weak or injured to stand on their own as well as the last of their supply train, and they set out on a path directed by Yayoi. She took them away from the river for a time, and Ladius and his retainers had questions for her as they walked.

"Yamato? An entire city in the swamp?" The tall elf man with long hair a shade of blue or purple, built muscularly and yet possessing an unearthly quality about him, was named Zerva, apparently, and he seemed somewhat skeptical about her, despite her determination to help them.

"Yes. We have avoided almost all contact with the outside world for many centuries, developing along our own path against the Rizel, and hidden within the Fen from all who would threaten us." Even with her attentions divided, noticing the small markers and trails carved by the villagers to guide them through the tangling and heavily forested depths, it was interesting to talk to these people.

The seer with the third eye, Vira-Lorr, had a smile on her beautiful face almost as much as Winfield did, although her expressions were more subdued, and her eyes were difficult to read, much like Dyshana. She seemed to know a bit more about the swamp than the others, although her information was sharply limited from a lack of personal experience. She also knew much about the river itself, which, she claimed, ran for most of the continent and separated the outside into three main areas. "Few settlements right against the river have survived very long; it's an effective natural barrier in many places due to heavy flooding. How has Yamato endured this cycle or used it for farming the swamps?"

She'd been waiting for that question. "Ah. Our god protects us." Her thoughts drifted back to the shrine for the first time since picking up the trail of the outsiders. It had been a nice diversion, though; once again, she began to think about a lot of things that were… unpleasant. What would they make of this?

As it turned out, it made all of them a bit more quiet, although they did ask a bit more, and she told them a little about the Guardian. It wasn't hard to repeat what she'd been studying since she was a little girl; even the mystic scrolls kept in the village of the Guardian's words and his promise were straightforward. "Our Guardian directs the river's power away from us for much of the year so that we can cultivate fields and grow a bountiful harvest. The waters never touch Yamato, even though we're poised on the river's edge… the ground hardens like bedrock to support human constructions that would normally sink."

"Amazing," Winfield said. Like the others, he was quite interested in her, although she appreciated how friendly and upbeat he was, trying to strike up conversations when the others would fall silent or talk to each other. He helped dispel a lot of her nervousness; she was never exactly the most social person, despite her status in the village, but the time seemed to flow by as they walked.

It must have taken several hours, though, because the sun was almost setting by the time she was sure they were nearing the village. Their course took them back in the direction of the river, but visibility was, as usual, quite low. She elected to go ahead of the others and notify the people that they were about to receive a large number of guests, and the reaction to that was about as she expected. In the end, however, Ladius and his army was invited into the high stone walls, and the gates swung open to allow the weary travelers to march in. Every villager who was able came to see the new arrivals, gathering around but keeping their distance, especially when the wounded and ill were brought in to the village square. The weary troops couldn't help but admire the blossoming, pink trees scattered throughout the city, plants that they would later come to know as 'cherry blossoms'.

The soldiers were still marching into the city, more or less, when the local leader approached him with Yayoi in tow. An older gentleman with a worn and wrinkled face that seemed accustomed to worry, his black hair was held back by pins and he wore dark robes that seemed simple in design but were well-made. He bowed for a moment and said, "Welcome, strangers. You are the first guests we have received in… well over a hundred years, I believe. I am the Prime Minister of Yamato, Ryutai."

"On behalf of my men, I can't tell you what a relief it is to find safe refuge in the swamp," Ladius replied formally, standing at attention almost out of habit. "My name is Ladifour von Busser-Raglan, and I lead what remains of this force; all outlaws from Grugund now, and destined for Fennsaril and sanctuary there, Gods willing."

"We are familiar with the old nations on the outside," Ryutai nodded in understanding, stroking his generous chin. "Outlaws, you say? A strange thing to admit so freely. Whatever happened in the north must have been terrible, to drive you here…" He smiled ruefully. "We quite enjoy the hospitality of the swamp, but for people who aren't blessed by the protections we have come to take for granted… it is a dark place."

"Ryutai-sama, I will gather up our doctors and medics," Yayoi announced, bowing deeply. "Several of the outsiders are in critical condition and I will see to them. Please excuse me, sirs." With Ladius' friends keeping a bit of distance and talking amongst themselves, that left the two of them free to speak more or less one-on-one, even with crowds of people still gathering to gawk.

The minister turned and peered further into the village for a moment, coughing into his sleeve. "Yayoi-sama never ceases to amaze me. She has briefed me briefly on your company, Busser-Raglan-san."

Even though Ladius had an eye for the formal or the ceremonial sometimes, that made him wince a bit. "Please, sir, 'General' will do. 'Ladius' if you're feeling generous."

Ryutai laughed. "As you wish, General. Please, tell me how you came to visit our village as we walk. I can show you our humble home." Very little seemed humble about the Old Yamato Republic, at least to Ladius' foreign eyes. The city, and it was really more appropriately called that than a 'village', was wrought mainly from stone, yet the style of their architecture was different, and even expressive or artistic, with paint and wood or bamboo decorating buildings and giving them an interesting visual profile.

"Even though the events are fresh in all of our minds, and we left many friends behind on Grugund soil… the tale feels long, and it only grows in the telling, it seems." With that, Ladius took a stroll, passing paved but narrow streets and city quarters housing people who either stayed indoors or came out just to stare at him, all dressed in a manner similar to, but far less elegantly then, Yayoi herself. Even the men. He told the Prime Minister about the situation, electing to give a full account of things starting from his father's contract with Dyshana all the way to their march, which a few of the most optimistic men and women had taken to calling the 'Death March' when they felt he wasn't listening.

Prospects for crossing the river quickly came up, and Ladius was disappointed by the Prime Minister's reply. Even diverting small parts of the river for agricultural needs took all the effort of a city as well as this Guardian's help; the Rizel would never tolerate a bridge, much less boats across, from his experience. The only possibility to cross would be in the southern parts of the marshes, and even then, he could not be sure. The Yamato rarely ventured too far from their protected village now.

Ryutai seemed a little more willing to accept Dyshana's contract and its implications than his own adopted father had been. "We embrace our spirituality here," he explained. "Our incense and herbs allow many of us to walk with the spirits, and the Guardian Himself is proof that there is more to our world than even the old concepts of the Gods… ah, pardon me."

Ladius shook his head. "Religion was never a large part of my upbringing, ironically. But the necessity of the contract is something one can understand from any viewpoint. Very frankly, if I knew that sacrificing a few would prevent something like Nagigahara, I would jump at the opportunity." He felt a bitter taste in his mouth that he knew was more in his mind than anything, and shook his head as the two of them approached the walls again, and a tower with a rampart leading upwards.

When the two men gained the upper level of the wall and stood looking out on the swamp before them, Ryutai nodded. "The Alzai Fen…" he motioned with a broad sweep of his arm. "It enfolds us and protects us, but we knew that if it wasn't for our efforts and the grace of the Guardian, everything could wash away. That is why we do what is necessary to remain in His favor."

Finding himself leaning against his sword and then the stone teeth of the wall, Ladius let out a sigh. "Yayoi spoke a little about this on the journey here, but if you don't mind my asking, sir…"

"Ah. I suppose it may seem a little on the ridiculous side to an outsider," the older man said, smiling ruefully. "An actual physical contract with a physical god to protect us."

"I wouldn't say that," Ladius replied, shaking his head. "It may be difficult to accept, but we're new to this area and even in Grugund there are many legends of this place and its mysteries. Given what we've been through I'm not ready to dismiss something out of hand. What is the nature of this contract with the Guardian?"

Encouraged, the minister took another look at the swamp, and then glanced back towards Yamato and the bustling, powerful river behind it. "It's very simple, simple enough that we've carved it on a few tablets in the temple. The Guardian watches over us, diverting the river, bringing forth bounty in our farms, and repelling the worst monsters from the depths… and in exchange, we must pay tribute. Many times, that tribute takes the form of crops or gold, and that is all taken care of easily. However, the Guardian must also consume spiritual energy to remain potent in this world."

He paused, but Ladius was hanging on his words, expression impassive and arms crossed, and so after a moment, he continued. "The only source of this energy we've yet found are human beings." The Spirit Vessel forced himself not to react to this, nodding along calmly, at least on the outside. He knew where this was going, however, and his stomach turned sour as he heard it all confirmed. "Yes. We must sacrifice to protect ourselves."

"Sacrifice people?" He asked.

"Yes," Ryutai nodded, closing his eyes. "So it has been for many generations. My grandfather told me of a time before the shrine maidens, the _miko_; a regular villager will not satisfy the Guardian for many seasons. We lost so much before the secrets to concentrating spiritual power were unlocked, and we began to… raise _miko_ to take up this burden. The Guardian's hunger can be sated then, and for many years he will leave us in peace."

Their eyes met again. Ladius saw a certain amount of regret, but no shame, and it was clear that this was simply how things worked. The man was describing this outlandish scenario with complete sincerity, convinced it was the only way to safeguard his village. That had a lot of implications, but even he, a bit on the dense side when it came to people and working with them, knew that things were delicate now. A tension hung in the air quite separate from the humidity, and both parties wondered how the other would react.

After a period of silent contemplation, Ladius shrugged his broad shoulders. "I suppose I'd be a hypocrite if I had a problem with this." The two men shared a laugh that was simultaneously tense and yet also somehow genuine, a slight release of pressure. "I've learned a lot recently and one of the hardest lessons has been that men will do whatever is necessary to survive, no matter the cost. I'm not qualified to swoop in and start judging your people."

Ryutai bobbed his head again. "I wish there was another way… but if we stop this practice, then we risk everything. While the outside world fought and bled and destroyed each other, we have enjoyed a time of peace almost unheard of, safe behind our walls to grow and contemplate and even dream. This has been our way for so long, but do not think I don't recognize how cruel it is." He paused. "Most of the people in Yamato scarcely even think about this contract, however. It's a natural law to them, and they revere Yayoi-sama for her power as well as what she is meant to do."

'_So it's her, then_.' Ladius was so grateful to be in a place of civilization and safety that he would have gladly embraced almost anything… and yet now his relief was tempered with a sour note. Meeting a human sacrifice and getting to know her, at least a little bit, was a great way to make one doubt the whole process, as far as he could tell. It certainly had that effect on his father Leonhardt's friends who came with him to Graccea and even now followed him on his quest. "… Thank you for talking with me about this, sir."

The other man shook his head. "You unfolded your reasons to me, and were quite open with a story that many would scoff at. You would learn of this eventually from somebody; at least now you can get the whole truth of it. The truth can be harsh, but it has a certain solid nature. It won't move out from under you; truth is truth."

"And so often we dress it up and try to look away, or deceive ourselves about reality," Ladius agreed. "Another lesson that hurts when one finds the world apparently changing around them; 'But was it always so?' Very well. Then at least accept my thanks for offering us a port in the storm. We have little to trade for respite or supplies; everything not of military necessity was left on the trip."

"Perhaps it seems that way to you, Ladius, but many in Yamato, myself included, will find your stories and knowledge of the outside a great boon indeed. I fear you may find yourself flooded with questions; tell us of recent events in the world beyond the Alzai Fen as compensation. There is always something to be done in the village and the farms as well; men able to work can find some way to help us."

Still quiet as well as disquieted, Ladius quickly agreed to this. "That sounds like a deal to me. Winfield and Vira-Lorr will have the time of their lives recounting stories, not just of Graccea, but Lucrellia as well. My forces are at your command while we remain here and rest, sir; I will instruct my lieutenants to give our full cooperation. Many of our company have come up from farmer or yeoman stock."

Although there was still much more to talk about, Ryutai recognized that Ladius was pushed to the point of exhaustion, and let him return to his friends, now encamped in the middle of the village square with most of the troops. As this was a surprise visit, there was very little actual housing that was available, but Yamato provided whatever the soldiers lacked and it was good enough to let weary men and women cool their heels. Weeklong rains in the village even let up long enough for good tents to be pitched, and several villagers were convinced that this was the Guardian's way to welcome them.

Yayoi worked herself nearly to the point of her own exhaustion in the medical area, drawing upon magic capabilities he scarcely knew existed and working side-by-side with Ellis to heal the worst cases. Several of the men who the medical officers had pretty well written off would survive the night, although he had to mark down two more casualties before turning in. Not having to set watches and sleep in armor for once was splendid, and for once he overcame his partial insomnia slept like a rock.

Next morning, when everybody from his inner circle was up and he had taken down four more casualties in the rolls, he called a staff meeting, with his company officers as well as retainers and friends in attendance, meeting over a wonderful, if exotic and somewhat fungal, breakfast. "It's not Fensarill, but it'll do for the moment," Winfield led off the conversation, and he got nods all around from that. "Thank the Gods we were easy to track."

"We've still seen nothing, not even a hint, of pursuit," Zerva said. "Recon and patrol in that nightmare was crap, but I think we can rest easy for the moment and assume that we've lost Valeria and her troops."

"For the moment," Ladius nodded somberly, regarding his mug and taking a few sips. It wasn't supposed to be alcoholic, which was good; he never countenanced that sort of brew, especially when they were still in such a critical position. "She'll come at us again, I have no doubt in my mind of that. I don't know what her plan will be but she won't abandon this chase, I suspect… not until one of us is dead."

"Perhaps," Vashtor agreed, sitting a bit to the side with Borgnine; neither larva particularly needed to eat more than once a week or so. He also seemed to find the fungal dishes that comprised a lot of Yamato's hospitality more than a little distasteful. "To conventional thinking, however, diving headfirst into the swamp without any intelligence or plan is suicide. To follow us in? Now that she's cooled off she may adopt a more patient approach. We can't know how serious she was about her vendetta… yet."

It seemed Vira-Lorr would be the one to say what many were thinking, now. "Then we shouldn't overstay our welcome in Yamato. They've remained hidden from the outside for now, but we could draw Valeria right to this place if she's searching hard enough. Hailzen would love the chance to claim this sort of discovery, and perhaps negotiate some protectorate treaties allowing Grugund to strike at Fensarill from the side." Everybody present had experienced enough of the Grugund national government's benevolent guidance that they figured the people of Yamato wouldn't enjoy it much. "Perhaps such efforts would run afoul of this 'Guardian'."

Winfield himself was enjoying a bit of the very small stock of beer they still had with them, practically enough to be carried on his person. "Ah. And now we come to the heart of this place, hm? The real reason for this meeting, I suspect. Ladius, you spoke with their leader about this?"

Nodding, Ladius unfolded a brief outline of the village's situation, and the sacrifice that kept them going and kept this apparent physical god satiated. If the mood around the large table wasn't already somber, it had just practically frozen over, and several of his friends were lost in contemplation. "How much stock do we put in the Guardian?" Ellis wondered aloud, having a relatively light meal.

For lack of a true or solid answer, eyes quickly found their way to Dyshana, who had, as usual, placed herself unobtrusively but quickly at Ladius' side and was partaking of the breakfast in silence. At least, until she looked up and her eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "I have never been to this place before. All I can say for certain is what I told Ladius before we crossed the Rizel southwards; there is a darkness in this place. Whether it is in the village, the swamp, this Guardian… I cannot see that."

"Something is off," Borgnine agreed abruptly, shifting slightly and crossing his arms. Ellis looked over in surprise; she only remembered a handful of times before that her protector had ever spoken up like this before. "A god does not simply lie unnoticed to the world." He would probably know better than any of the others here except perhaps Vashtor as well (even the man himself wasn't sure what he was); larvae were, in a sense, godlike beings. Their physical bodies and manifest powers, while incredible to behold, were only the tip of an iceberg, the point at which they intersected with the world.

Thinking on this matter, with so little known and so many questions to answer, Zerva found himself shaking his head. "Are we sure we wish to know? To get involved here? We've only been in this swamp a short time, and we're strangers to Yamato. It's not likely that the people would welcome outsiders poking about and trying to _test_ their beliefs."

The question hung in the air for a few moments, and then Ladius shifted forward, leaning against their table. "A fair point… If this were as simple as a tradition or even devout faith, then I would say to leave Yamato affairs to Yamato."

"But it isn't so simple," Ellis picked up on the thread of this thoughts, as though spending so long acting as a surrogate and adopted mother had actually given the high elf the ability to read his mind. Sometimes she swore it did.

He nodded. "Raised as a soldier, I know that we must be prepared to do whatever is necessary for the greater good. Sacrifice itself can be good or bad… we must always ask _to what purpose_? Yamato is sacrificing, and for Yayoi, and the ones who came before her… what did their sacrifice earn? They believe the price is worth it. Recent events have shown us nothing if they haven't taught the lesson of skepticism. I'm not content to leave things lying as they were anymore.

Without Yayoi to guide us, we would still be in a terrible situation. Given what we owe her personally and Yamato in general for taking us in and providing critical supplies… I can't leave these people without knowing. We must investigate this matter, and carefully; Zerva, you're right that they won't like it."

"If nothing else, it gives us reason to linger here instead of setting out immediately. It seems odd and even perverse to prefer the city built upon the blood sacrifice of innocent people, but…" Winfield didn't even have to give his measured and reasonable criticisms of the Alzai Fen and the twisted monsters that inhabited its depths; everybody present seemed to understand on a personal level what it was like to hate, and even fear, a place.

Something told Ladius that Dyshana had something more to say, and given their bond, he knew better than to ignore such feelings. He turned to look at her. "Dyshana?"

Instead of objecting to this or insisting they keep moving for Fensarill, she took another sip from her cup and then spoke up. "I had suspected something since the girl came across us, and now I'm sure of it. Ladius, Yayoi is one those who will be drawn to your destiny, just as several people were drawn to Leonhardt." Their eyes met and she elaborated a bit. "When the time comes for you to follow in his footsteps, you will have to choose, as he did, and marry, as he did."

This certainly wasn't the first time he'd been told about this aspect of his destiny, but it was still the bit that doubtless sat the least comfortably in his mind. He'd done a lot more than come to peace with being a Spirit Vessel; he'd embraced this, but it was more like embracing an inevitability. If asked, he would have agreed to this bargain to save everything he knew from the darkness, but the point was that he was never asked. '_Is that what my son will have? Of course it is, that's the point. How long can this war go on_?' The idea that the person he would fall in love with might be ordained by a greater force didn't necessarily bother him that much; he believed in the Gods, and had already seen evidence that life was guided along its course much more tightly than some might believe.

"Yet another reason to think that there's more to this story than what we're told. Or at least hope that there is, as odd as it seems." It was strange to feel a sense of hope that maybe the simple contract and profound legend weren't _quite_ what they'd been built up to be, and that there was some deception at play. Would it be better if Yayoi was to be sacrificed for an honest deal to something that really did approach the power of a god?

Before the conversation could progress much farther, although everybody knew it had pretty well concluded already, Yayoi herself approached the meeting alongside several of the regiment's foremost medics, all bearing news from the area where soldiers still clung to their lives from wounds and afflictions. Ladius set aside what was left of his meal and dutifully recorded new figures into his logs. More had passed through the night despite all efforts.

Ladius was about to dismiss the meeting and send people on their way, but Yayoi approached him personally. "Ladius-san… I think I know what you were talking about."

"That obvious?" He asked in reply, trying to keep his face and voice neutral and good-humored. A lot could be riding on this conversation, however, and the others close enough to hear their lowered voices turned to watch. That helped mount some tension.

She looked over to the others but quickly returned her eyes to his. There was something there, something he hadn't seen before from her in the short time he had known her. She was still amazingly pretty to him, like a doll, almost too free of outer flaw for the swamp and the muck and the reality he'd come to accept as the norm. Even her hair, long and black, was surprisingly well-kept. "It is not terribly surprising that the Guardian would be on your minds. Anybody who hasn't grown up hearing the legends and the histories might be skeptical." She raised her voice and now everybody was in on it, and the group seemed to close in a little conspiratorially, even though there was nobody else to overhear things.

Winfield chimed in with attempts to be diplomatic, shaking his head. "I'm sure that some of the things we say or think would be strange as well to you. People develop differently based on where they live; we've seen that firsthand, my dear."

Yayoi nodded. "Perhaps, yes. But this concept seems new to you? That of one sacrificing themselves so directly to appease a higher force?"

"No," Ladius shook his head and let out a sigh, glancing once at Dyshana, who looked back at him as though she could sense where his eyes were. "It's really not. Have you and Ryutai spoken about what I told him? I unfolded much of our purpose for being in the Alzai Fen to him as a gesture of goodwill."

"Not yet," She replied, looking a bit perplexed. "Well, perhaps a little. He hinted that we may be similar in some way, Ladius-san." Her pale skin got a little warmer and rosier and she looked away demurely. "It's hard to imagine what he meant, though."

0-0

The respect for, and trust in, Yayoi as a person and as a priestess of the Guardian was so rock-solid that when she explained that she would be taking a light party of outsiders as an escort for a trek to the place of the Sacrifice, to ensure no major beasts had moved into that territory, everybody accepted this without much trouble. The Prime Minister seemed relieved that Yayoi would not be going out alone into a region that even the villagers would just as soon avoid, the blackest depths of the Alzai Fen. Patrols kept the areas near Yamato and the river relatively safe, but past that, all bets were off.

Putting aside monsters and possibilities that now formed in his imagination, as well as thoughts of the actual Guardian itself and what it could be, Ladius left his oldest remaining sergeant in command, electing to take all of his friends and retainers for this excursion. They would be gone as long as two weeks in total, a week to get out there and a week to get back, according to estimates, and attempting to take a force of any size into the treacherous interior was simply not feasible. He would have been more comfortable leaving a member of the inner circle behind to keep things under control and maintain relations with their hosts, especially if things took a turn for the worse… but everybody was needed.

The only person who wouldn't be expected to personally partake of any combat the group found was Dyshana, who had never fought herself, instead hanging back, observing, and offering advice when she could. Ladius wanted to ask her if she would consider staying behind in charge of the regiment, but before he could, she approached him, one again displaying the somewhat unnerving talent of knowing what was on his mind.

"This place is unfamiliar to me, and any sight I may have is worse than useless. Ladius, I will remain at Yamato." It was rare for her to decide something like this without consulting the Spirit Vessel, and he knew that it meant she was determined. He was certainly happy to agree to this, in any case. Behind her ever-present mask of calm, and an even temper, he thought he sensed something very much like concern in the echoes that passed through their link. "Be careful."

He nodded solemnly. "We'll have the truth of the matter by the time we return, whatever happens. I suppose this will delay us from our true objective."

"Perhaps not," She shook her head. "She is one of the three, as I said before." It seemed that little else needed to be said before they nodded and parted company.

'_So this was destined as well. Of course_.'

The next morning, before most villagers awoke or the sun crested the canopy, the party gathered and set forth quickly, with no fanfare or ceremony. The fewer people knew of the expedition and the quicker it left, the better for all involved. Personally, Ladius had found the warmth of the swamp difficult to cope with as days had gone by, and so operating early, when the temperature was more reasonable, suited him well anyway. A few skirmishes with beasts within the wilderness, and he was overheating, however, and finally figured out that it was the humidity that really got to him.

A large party moved far differently than a small army, and with Yayoi's expertise, they picked their way to favorable paths and navigated around vast, tangling obstacles and several small lakes. The journey was never exactly treacherous but with a native to the area, they avoided many mistakes, and despite being engaged by more and more ferocious beasts as they made for the heart of the Alzai Fen, they made very good time. Lingering in any one area save to set camp for the night only invited more trouble to come their way.

Ellis, relieved to be back in action despite running a minor fever, doubtless worked herself past good health to tend to her friends when they inevitably got unlucky against some monster or another. Regular fighting produced regular injury, no matter their skill, but often a wound could be wiped away within hours thanks to elven powers. The Yamato _miko_ made a point to study her technique, although many aspects of her magic would simply be impossible for even a gifted human to copy.

Whatever had healed in Ladius' ability to sleep at Yamato was lost now that he was back out on the march, and practically every time a fight broke out within sound of the camp he was awake. Days rolled by and he talked less and less, except for taking watches, and while the others worried and he had moments where he seemed to slip away, he refused anything that seemed like he would be shirking his load of responsibility for marching, carrying gear, gathering wood, or fighting the beasts of the swamp.

In general, the journey was a quiet one, and even Winfield seemed more focused on other matters when he wasn't firing away from a nice, safe vantage point against an enemy. Although it was difficult to tell amongst the dark, murky terrain of the Fen, it seemed clear that they were only going deeper and deeper, until the twisting, ancient growths of trees began to close around them like a maze and the terrain got rockier and more treacherous. The sun still peeked through even the thickest of canopies for most of the day, but its light was fading from them and slowly their eyes adjusted to the new state of things.

A bit quicker than had been predicted, Yayoi recognized the first of the signposts and symbols in the land that led her, with a bit of reference from a few scrolls, towards the meeting place. Some time ago, lost to all but the hardiest of written texts, the people of Yamato had consecrated their contract with the Guardian in blood at that place, and built a temple in his honor. In the present time, the temple had all but faded away and only ruins remained, yet still their protector accepted sacrifices, appearing in person only to those who were about to die.

She saw in the others an almost palpable sense of anticipation or even dread as they drew closer to their destination, but when she reached out with her own heightened senses, she couldn't feel anything at all. In fact, the place had an almost chilly, empty feeling to it that so contrasted with the sounds of life, rustling, and chirping that filled the swamp like white noise. At first she had thought that perhaps that meant there was nothing to sense, but then as the feeling of _nothing_ grew stronger she recognized it for what it was, and she too was nearly afraid.

Yayoi was just starting to regret her decision to lead this expedition when, rising ahead of the next small, murky, dirty body of water, she spotted the crumbling stone arches and ruined spires of the temple. '_Here it is. A place where so many have gone before… and a place where one day I will be called, as well._' In order to keep herself from getting too worked up as they steadily and carefully picked their way towards the temple's remains, she went over the ritual needed to summon the protecting god. It wasn't necessarily complicated, although she did have a pack full of incense to assist, as well as brushes and special ink for a few inscriptions. Such details were good as a distraction, oddly enough.

The group fell under no attacks or harassment once they caught sight of the temple, and the beasts seemed to lurk at the edges of vision but never approach further. For once, even their nearly regular attacks were becoming something that seemed noticeably missing. The reprieve meant that before long they reached the open, crumbling walls of the structure quickly, and Yayoi immediately went about her preparations.

Ladius spoke for the second time since he'd woken from fitful sleep that morning. "Some of us think we know what's about to happen. None of us really do. Be prepared, but be calm as well. " The acrid scent of various kinds of incense overpowered the swamp's many natural fragrances in short order, and everybody turned to look outwards, scanning the dark, confusing surroundings for any sign that something was approaching.

They weren't kept waiting very long. Eyes were drawn towards the west, the tallest of the treeline that obscured the fetid lands beyond, where the sounds of the swamp were slowly silenced and finally all could see the approach of something massive in the darkness. It only got larger as it drew closer, moving with a hulking gait and seeming to push aside even ancient, study-seeming trees without much effort.

"As I suspected…" Vira-Lorr murmured, but the entire party could hear her voice as she reached to put a hand on her blade's hilt. "There is no god here." Yayoi might have taken much greater offense at this, particularly given the situation, but she was overtaken by dread so powerful she could barely look away from the looming figure.

"Then what is that?" Winfield asked, his voice showing just a bit of panic now as he double-checked that the ammunition cartridges he kept stowed in his old brown coat were still dry and ready for action. Despite Ladius' counsel for calm, the already humid air grew thicker and heavier with the expectation of trouble.

The onerthes seer replied to that question with another, aimed at Ellis' larva. "Borgnine, what do you sense now?"

In stark contrast to his elven master's tension and worry, he seemed stoic, serious, and even a little disgusted, his dark, severe face twisted and squinting as though he was staring at something nobody else could see. "Something dark. Something twisted. Something very familiar."

Before Ellis or Vira-Lorr could ask for a bit more clarification, it was upon them, and all the clarity in the world was standing before them, looming several times higher than they stood and rivaling the crumbling building around it. The creature was now visible, and it had the frame and aspect of a giant monstrous crab, almost, with hard, light-blue skin that displayed a number of spikes and sickly black protrusions, and a twisted mockery of a humanoid face, minus any eyes whatsoever, between a pair of sharpened horns. It stood on solid, if thin, legs, and what passed for its arms were like the claws of a crab, large and sharp enough to serve only a single purpose.

For a handful of moments, the party looked up at this creature and it regarded them without seeing. Yayoi barely held back her shock and revulsion, although at the same time she found herself falling to her knees almost automatically, whereas the others stood their ground. It broke the silence first, speaking with a voice distorted and pitched oddly. "It has been too long, brother."

Ellis looked from the beast to Borgnine, and then back again, and a spark of recognition hit her. "What? A larva, like Borgnine? But…" She struggled for words to convey feelings deeper than thought or emotion, a way to express how she felt about Borgnine and how this newcomer was _wrong_. "I can scarcely believe it, even with what I feel now."

The others couldn't agree more, and they remained tensed and ready, particularly given the menace this creature exuded even just standing there. Zerva glanced over and found Yayoi still on her knees, eyes squeezed shut and deep into a chant. He broke through her concentration quickly with just a few well-aimed words. "Yayoi… larvae are lesser gods. Almost all of their true power is off of this plane of existence. They can do incredible things, but turning aside the course of an entire river, controlling its path, and warding off entire nations of people?"

She looked up at him, eyes wide. "If that's true, then… then Yamato…" Like Ellis, she struggled to give voice to her real feelings, particularly after a lifetime of education, study, and devotion to the Guardian. Everything was beginning to crash down around her ears and the realization was painful as she slowly began to see this beast for what it truly was.

"… Your home is not protected by this larva. It never was." Vira-Lorr finished for her, and Yayoi felt like she'd been shot with an arrow. The Guardian itself, hearing the revelation and recognizing the basic design of her robes, loosed a bellowing laugh.

Mirth was not the creature's strong suit, but is voice was still calm and even. "I allowed them to believe whatever they wished. I could have destroyed them all if I had chosen to! Ah, you doubt my mercy? Without Yamato, I would have nobody left to bring me food."

"Then Yamato is a feeding ground?" Ladus' growled question was more like a statement, and his eyes were locked upon the beast, outward calm betraying little of the rage that quickly built within him. He knew without looking back that everything they said, and when the Guardian spoke, it was like they were ripping chunks out of the priestess.

"My hunger is vast, unfathomable," The creature explained, answering him callously. "The villagers can only sustain me for a short time. Those with spiritual power are delicious… and you all have power the likes of which I have never seen before." He regarded Yayoi directly now and began to salivate. "Especially… yes. I had thought so. My latest sacrifice, duly given over by those people without a second thought. It is not yet time, but I have already grown hungry, and now that you have brought yourself to me, I can scarcely resist. I will feed well indeed off of you, little girl."

Vashtor watched this all in silence, and it slowly dawned on him that he wasn't recognizing Quadwas the way Borgnine was, on any level. That was the strongest sign yet of what he was, or rather, perhaps what he wasn't. Despite his appearance, it was very possible he wasn't a larva at all. Or if he was, more of himself had been lost in whatever happened then he suspected…

Borgnine spoke at last. "Quadwas… you have lost something. Or gained something terrible. You have become something so far beneath a larva it is hard to comprehend." He balled up his fists and donned his favored weapon, simple and yet highly effective knuckles of black steel. "Everything in our blood demands that I kill you."

"You are welcome to try." Quadwas seemed to stomp upon the ground as hard as it could, kicking up a wave of water that threw the others off for a moment. Borgnine leapt forward, undaunted, pressing through the wave and charging forward with a terrible battle cry.

Ellis was hit by the water and knocked over, as were Vira-Lorr and Winfield, and they struggled to get to their feet. Zerva, Vashtor, and Ladius drew their weapons and ran after Borgnine, hardly willing to let the two larvae fight alone. "I think he's got powers over this swamp, at least," Winfield yelled out, but the frontline fighters were already out of easy earshot. "Well, that's just great. Ellis my dear, follow me." He pointed to a part of the temple that still held a somewhat steady looking tower and some heavily rotted stairwells leading up. The high elf shook her head, but followed the rogue anyway. At least it would allow them to get above further waves of water.

As the melee commenced, Yayoi was lost, remaining where she had knelt before the Guardian, staring at the fight as it began to unfold. The water washed over her and she barely noticed it. When Borgnine squared off against his much larger corrupted brother, all she could do was reach for her small knife under her robe. '_For so long I wanted there to be a way out, a catch, something to cling to life… and I hated myself for it all the more. Now I have proof…_'

The two larvae charged towards each other and clashed with a mighty impact, but even Borgnine's strength wasn't enough to hold against Quadwas. He was flung backwards and landed in the muck, growling in frustration. He did serve as a handy distraction for a moment, however, allowing Zerva to dash in behind the monster and leap forward to deliver a skillful slice to its back. The sharpened crystal blade of his scythe bit through Quadwas loudly, and he was rewarded with a bellow for his efforts, as well as a backhand from the creature that glanced him and sent the syrium tumbling.

The beast seemed to quickly grasp that he wasn't just fighting individuals, especially when Ladius began yelling out to focus on the front instead and sidestepped just in time to avoid an impulse wave flung from behind that kicked up water and dirt and finally slammed into him, nearly toppling him despite his mass. "You have quite a lot of spiritual power as well, you know. You would have an acceptable replacement for my sacrifice if-" Quadwas moved with surprising speed, turning to face Borgnine's second charge and sweeping his arms forward in an arc.

This gesture summoned forth his own impulse wave, a broad sweep that the other larva dropped to the water to avoid and then rose in time to be hit by a second wave, tumbling end-over-end. Impulse bursts from either side weren't necessarily as damaging to hardy larvae, but they did function very well to keep one off-balance. Before his brother could chortle at this situation and offer another taunt, however, Ladius charged forward with his greatsword and delivered a mighty blow to Quadwas' left arm. His skin was tough as though naturally armored, but the sword drew a spatter of blood and Ladius barely avoided Quadwas' reaction swing.

Winfield had gained a good position to fire now, and began raining down shots as quickly as he could load and fire his pistol. Given the range and the creature's nearly constant movements, many of the rounds sailed wide, but he knew some found their mark in the beast's reaction, twitching as though being bitten by bugs.

Before his eyes, Ladius watched several bullet holes and his own hit begin to shift and change the skin around it, and as Quadwas laughed heartily, he watched the creature heal itself in moments. Each hit inflicted to it may have caused some pain but was quickly wiped away. "Frustrating, isn't it? Now do you see the futility of fighting me?" To drive its point home, Quadwas went on the attack as soon as the melee fighters began to group up, flailing his giant arms and knocking them around. Following up on the attack was difficult, though, with fireballs and bursts of electricity springing forth from both mages.

Already wracked with fatigue, Ladius landed hard on his back and found it difficult to stand for a moment, summoning up everything he had to get back on his feet. He'd landed badly and every movement shot pain through his spine now. Being hit even by a glancing blow from that claw had hurt, too, inflicting trauma through his heavy plate armor.

Becoming annoyed with the ranged attackers' furious efforts at suppression, pelting him over and over and inflicting pain, Quadwas elected to go after them, leaping forward into the air with stunning force and soaring above the fight, landing hard in the mucky, soggy ground near the temple grounds and shaking the earth. Vira-Lorr backpedaled, refusing to panic as the beast barreled forward with a terrible bellow, and continued to fire off a flurry of relatively weak spells to keep him occupied.

"How are we going to overcome that thing's healing capabilities and do some real damage?" Zerva asked, helping Ladius to his feet and darting forward to close the distance to the enemy.

Ladius had a moment to think on it, and elected on a somewhat simple strategy. He turned to Borgnine, who was running at a respectable clip given his size, and shouted, "Borgnine! Tell everybody to focus their attacks. The head is too difficult to hit; go for the legs! Get Winfield and Ellis out of that tower and tell them to hit the legs! Move!" The being's power for healing couldn't be inexhaustible, especially if it wasn't really a god at all.

The larva nodded wordlessly and picked up the pace, and Ladius made sure to head for Quadwas, although he turned his approach to come in from the side to prevent blocking his friends' field of fire. "Everybody! The legs! Concentrate on the legs!"

With a single defiant impulse wave that lacked sufficient power to even stumble the beast, Vira-Lorr found herself nearly nose-to-nose with Quadwas, and her face folded in disgust. He smelled every bit as bad up close and personal as he looked, even though her senses in that regard had been dulled a little by the fragrant swamp. "What exactly are you hoping to achieve here?" He asked her, raising an arm to smash her like a bug.

The seer glanced around him and then shrugged lightly. "Maybe keep you focused on me. Long enough for, say…" she pointed with her sword, which still shouldered with runic and magical spells. "Them to attack." Quadwas turned just in time to catch a blur of black and cobalt as Zerva moved in, speed incredible, and delivered an enchanted slice to his relatively thin legs. The crystalline blade imparted magical fire that burned away his natural armor and he groaned, swatting at his assailant, even though the syrium had already moved back out of range.

Behind him by a short amount was Borgnine again, and he roared as he smashed his fist into a thick, knee-like projection of pure black and produced a bone-crunching impact. Even Quadwas' impressive healing factor hadn't brought his chitin back up, so he took the hit and felt it shoot up his back, all traces of his levity or amusement at their struggle gone and replaced with rage.

Vashtor's strike lacked some of the power of others but made up for it with remarkable precision, and his blade, wielded skillfully, bit like a surgical instrument right where he was aiming. He was out in a flash as well, backing off from retaliation range in a most frustrating fashion.

Fighting through the pain, Quadwas, despite all the damage he had taken, was ready when Ladius brought up the rear with an attack, and knelt to spring forward and slam directly into the paladin.

Being Dyshana's vessel and instrument made him resilient compared to a normal person, but Ladius was still ran over completely and tossed backwards by the sheer forces at play. A moment of shock hit the party as they watched him go down, but Zerva was already leaping back in and struck again, taking the focus off of Ladius before Quadwas could follow up.

A flurry of holy missiles from Elis' staff burst forth as though dozens of archers were firing upon the beast, and although the volley was inaccurate, every bolt that failed to land its mark vanished harmlessly, seeming to transfer power to the magic arrows that hit, burning the corrupted flesh under them. Winfield paused to reload and caught a glimpse of the look on Elis' face, taken aback by the murderous intent he found there. Her beautiful, unearthly face had lost all of its stoic calmness or mystery. She was silent except for a chant she kept murmuring to herself that he couldn't hear over the roar of his own pistol.

She would normally need to pause her attack, but was investing everything she had into the arrows and just kept firing, volley after volley, so relentless that the melee fighters found it difficult to move in. The fire was having its intended effect, however, and the creature visibly shook as it tried to stay standing and support its massive bulk. Vira-Lorr joined in, bending the earth around him to shake his balance and suddenly bringing mounds of swampy ground together to crush his legs.

The fury of battle consumed everybody except for Yayoi, who holstered her knife and got to her feet when she saw Ladius fall over and fail to rise again. Heedless of the dangers, she ran forward, planning to try and drag him further from the melee, where the huge beast still raged and thrashed out in all directions as he was being swarmed. The young general proved far too heavy for her, particularly with his dented plate mail, and it seemed clear that moving him might aggravate his injury.

"Can you hear me, Ladius-sama?" She asked, leaning in so close that their noses touched so her quiet, shaking voice might be heard above the cacophony. His eyes were bleary but they turned to lock onto hers and he opened his mouth to take a shuddering breath. A lifetime of fear, doubts, and a little, despised, angry voice that screamed for her own life fell silent as her mind switched to the most practical of concerns, drawing upon her experience and looking for obvious bleeding, which she couldn't find, except for a trickle from his mouth.

"Yes." He groaned terribly and almost bit his own tongue off, shaking his head as much as he could. "I need to get back on my feet…"

She put a hand on his shoulder in caution. "Please, lie still. Now, try to move each of your limbs and then your back." She reached for a small bag of herbs that were medicinal in nature rather than ceremonial, watching carefully as his gauntleted hands twitched. Then, his feet moved. When he tried to get anything more out of them, however, she saw him strain as though being pressed down by invisible forces.

"They… won't listen to me," He said, low voice strained with the effort of not crying out. He found himself hoping that numbness might set in soon, because the pain was overwhelming, particularly since he kept trying to move his legs. Very little came of this aside from more pain and after a few more tries, he laid back as she said. He couldn't even see what was happening, and winced as a wave of water pulsed outward and knocked Yayoi onto her side, ruining almost everything that was in her bag. "What happened? What's happening over there?"

Coughing and spitting up a bit of water, she pulled herself back up and looked over to see that Quadwas was the only one standing, roaring skyward and emitting an aura of power so intense that she could almost physically see it. She certainly saw the air around him shift, and the water and land begin to adhere to his will, great waves firing outwards and knocking all of his attackers asunder. She braced herself and, through a bit of her own influence, was able to hold her ground. Closer up, though, people were being knocked backwards, and this display of force was buying the creature time it could use to begin regenerating again.

When she failed to respond quickly enough, and he heard the loudest of the bestial roars from Quadwas, Ladius reached up with a visibly shaking hand and grasped her robe. "Get me on my feet," he ordered, and despite of his agony he now spoke with the voice of command, a voice that expected to be followed, especially when lives were at stake.

"You aren't in any condition to rejoin the-" With immediate threats shoved away and a moment of breathing room, the _miko_ saw her presumed god's vision swing around and lock upon the both of them, and with a snort, he began to lumber forward. Suddenly she realized that they were close. "He's coming!"

"Good," Ladius replied, and he paused so his voice wouldn't give out, vision blurry from water that might have been from the swamp and the spells or might have been from his pain. "Get me on my feet. I can bring him down, but… nnh… I need to be close."

"Close?"

"Face contact," He replied. "Ideally." The very word was spat like a vile curse, and she tried to tug on him, which only provoked further discomfort. She also realized that she just couldn't get away, not before Quadwas was upon them. With no options left, she took a moment, and then bent down, pulling him up bodily. She thought her own back might give out but her heart pounded and she found something within herself that she scarcely even suspected might exist.

A skillful shot landed right in a prior wound on Quadwas' leg, but even Winfield's best aim couldn't dissuade him from his advance, letting out a battle cry and beginning to charge, planning on plowing right through both of the humans and imbuing his claw with frightful dark energies. He even diverted some of the spiritual force that kept him healing, even though his legs were still hurt, ready to crush the enemy's leader before he could recover, continue controlling the tempo of the battle, and wounding and killing each person in turn to remove the advantage of their numbers.

Leaning heavily against her, Ladius regretted that he could barely help lift or support himself, and felt as though at any moment the both of them might fall, even as the beast advanced. Pushing this all aside with his mental clarity, he began to focus, and in his spirit determined to hit the creature was his best shot. Green filled his mind and a spear of intense emerald light started to form in his hand, and he held it tightly, concentrating more and more of his legacy, a weapon powered by emotion that was now receiving quite a lot of burning fuel, and given form by his blood and his faith.

Siphoning his pain away from the body for a moment and into the spear, he could think clearly enough to murmur, to himself but also to Yayoi, "When he is preparing to strike, drop me." It was difficult to say what that might do to him in his current state, but if he could focus, it would allow him to hit at least one of the monster's legs. She nodded but he didn't see it, didn't see anything, but even with his eyes closed he knew the moment. "_Now_."

The ground shook, and Yayoi finally allowed her aching muscles to collapse, dropping him and falling to the ground with him, squeezing her eyes shut and putting up the protective wards she could remember in the heat of the moment. A flash hit her and even with her eyes closed she was forced to look away, opening her eyes a moment later to see Quadwas pass over them, completely missing both of his legs. The air boiled and smoldered and Ladius' spiritual weapon, made manifest for a single key moment, vanished and took with it what remained of his energy.

The desperate attack had certainly worked, however, and without anything to support himself, Quadwas fell forward, shock dissipating his charge and his magic strike as he landed face-first, hard. After a moment, Yayoi realized that they were still in great danger, and still within the monster's reach from those mighty claws. She dragged herself over Ladius and focused her considerable potential into a shell around them.

Zerva was already following-up on this chance, and actually used her magical shield as a stepping-stone, landing hard and then springing back into the air to land a swing from above that landed straight down Quadwas' middle and drew dark blood. He knew the others were coming too, and instead of following up, he just got out of the way, and just in time to avoid Borgnine's strike. The smaller larva smashed against his grounded brother and then came to a halt, starting to simply and brutally whale on the beast, seeking points of weakness and evading Quadwas' thrashing with surprising ease.

The mages delivered spells almost point-blank, getting in as close as they dared and beating down with everything they had, desperate to end the fight and pouring in whatever they had left within themselves, calling down thunder, shards of ice, embodiments of cleansing light and concealing darkness, anything in their arsenals they could conceive of.

"Ladius-sama?" She asked, once again doubting she could even be heard above the now one-sided fight nearby. Ladius turned to look at her, though, nodding.

"Please get over there and kill that bastard," He groaned, voice quiet and low. "I'm not going anywhere." Yayoi found herself taken aback by this, although given what had already transpired, she didn't quite know what was wrong, except for the obvious; a lifetime of training, instinct, education, and faith. Her life had been oriented towards the Guardian in a whole host of ways, some of which she could barely express or think of. She had been groomed to be his sacrifice, and to be happy for it, and even now she struggled with the part of her that just wanted to keep living, and damn the consequences.

Even so, she nodded, slowly lowering her barrier and reaching once again for her blade, the very knife that would have been used in the ritual. Perhaps by her own hand, even. Now she held it close and dear like a treasured memento and got to her feet, shaking herself a bit and then approaching the Guardian, who had been almost literally beaten into the ground, a blast crater in the swamplands forming around his smoldering form. His healing simply couldn't keep up with everything, although to the party's dismay, even disabled like this, he was in fact visibly reacting to the damage and beginning to mend.

"What exactly is it going to take to put this thing down?" Winfield asked, firing point-blank into the creature's rotten hide and making a satisfying impact mark that was soon wiped away. A few more shots in the same area slowed the pace of his powers, though, and he just kept loading and firing away.

"Well we could try just hitting the damned thing in its head- Zerva, Vashtor, Borgnine, make some room." Vira-Lorr saw Yayoi approach with a black knife drawn and motioned for the others to clear some room. From the sheer volume of punishment inflicted, Quadwas could barely twitch anymore, much less lash out as he had done, which meant the whole group still standing could crowd in, occasionally raining another hit down just to disrupt the healing and vent a little hatred. Elis broke off from the group to go to Ladius, however, immediately starting in on her most potent incantations without regard for her own stamina.

Moving with purpose, Yayoi approached the source of her chains, and moved until they were seeing nearly eye-to-eye with each other. Even looking upon him was tough but it seemed clear that now was the time. "You… were going to be mine," Quadwas said, voice unsteady from great pain. Yayoi leaned forward as though to hear him better, enduring the stench. Now that he was wounded he truly smelled like death itself.

"Just like so many others," She agreed, and then regarded her knife for a moment, and looked at him.

"That's right. A steady source of food, and in return, I gave your village what it wanted most… the illusion of safety. How many generations grew up under my protection?"

She fell silent for a few moments, staring deeply into the black metal. Then she raised it high above her head, and Quadwas let out a single choked scream before she brought the blade down right on his head.

"None."

The party left Quadwas where he had finally fallen, near the ruined temple, when they set out for Yamato again the next morning. With two remarkably powerful healers attending to him, he was again able to move, although he would remain in some large degree of pain for most of the return trip, which didn't help his shaky sleep schedule. Yayoi didn't get a lot of sleep either, thinking about what she'd done, and they kept a few watches together while most of the others got their rest. There wasn't much more to say, though, or at least much more they wanted to say.

Dyshana was there to greet Ladius when he returned to the gates of Yamato, and although she stood as silent and stoic as ever, he felt her concern on some level, and quickly told her of what had happened. Ryutai was, to say the least, shocked by this turn of events, and the news was entirely suppressed to keep the rest of the city from learning that the Guardian was dead, killed by mortal hands.

No calamity befell Yamato, either immediately, or in two weeks afterwards, as Ladius' army of deserters remained within the walls, helping the villagers and enjoying a degree of peace and security that seemed like a different world altogether from the rest of the swamp. The river Rizel swelled and then receded as it had done forever. No conquerors appeared to crush the sanctuary. The omens in the stars and other celestial bodies showed little change at all from predicted patterns.

Even so, nobody outside of the highest levels of Yamato's democratic government and elected priesthood knew the truth about Quadwas by the time the army had rested, those who could be saved were fully recovered and returned to active duty, and they were laden with fresh provisions and directions from the locals about navigating the area. Their plan was clear now, at least; they were to march south, continuing to hug the river as close as possible and observing it for any point where it might be forded. They still had as much as half of the Alzai Fen to get through, although terms like 'Death March' were far from the troops' words now and there was an entirely different feeling about things.

It wouldn't be easy, and more would be lost before they made it to Fensarill, but Ladius' promise that they would, indeed, reach their destination was a lot more credible now. In time, when they were safely away, the people of Yamato would learn the truth, and hopefully, one day, come to an understanding about it. Even with his fate clear, Ladius would like to return to the hidden city sometime after Grugund and its nobility had been checked and the darkness' progress reversed on this continent.

When the regiments had been mustered out and were all prepared to move out, the village turned out to wish them well with a celebration, and as the first columns began to move out to the beat of drums and the twitter of flutes, Ladius saw Yayoi approach from the crowd. "Ladius-sama. I've finally made up my mind. I want to come with you."

He couldn't necessarily say he was surprised, especially with Dyshana's prediction. Still… "You're sure, then?"

She nodded. "Yes. My life is now my own, and if I am permitted, I want to spend it at your side. At least until you stop marching and stop fighting."

His severe face didn't budge an inch, a credit to his poker face. "Well, then fall in. We're moving out." She nodded, and as she left, he added, "Glad you're coming with us."


	11. Through the Valley

**A/N**: _Oh hey, it looks like chapters being a bit late in coming out is getting to be something of a habit of mine. Whether the larger size of the finished product warrants the extra time in its manufacture is a judgement I leave entirely to the reader. A bit of the frustration I have is that, often, as with this chapter, I'll have most of it finished but the final scene just needs to get done, and it'll sit there for days or, more likely, weeks, and even months while I just sit there on that scene. It really is the epitome of writers' block. Most of the time, I know I just need to push on through to the next thing..._

_Which in turn leads to me getting really nervous that my rush-out-the-final-scene thing damage the overall quality of the work (giggle, snort) somehow. But honestly, even if my worst self-critical author fears were realized, I'd still rather accept that then just have the entire chapter floating in limbo without seeing the light of the internet. So this chapter it's time to give a plot-important and central party member a proper introduction, for once._

_Also we see a bit of what's to come, I think, in the near future. This chapter doesn't have smut, although it does have a bit of, I dunno, interpersonal drama, and a tiny bit of something that could be fluffy, I don't know. In any case, I hope you enjoy, as always, and know that I deeply appreciate anyone who comes to read my story, and I doubly appreciate people who take time out to leave any kind of review._

* * *

><p><strong>Through the Valley<strong>

_First Generation_

Leonhardt

* * *

><p>The march north went quickly; the core Rigulus lands had well-kept roads, an excellent climate, and the villages that dotted the area were happy to provide surplus from the season's bounty. The harshness of the war had not come to these places yet, and Leo could see it in the eyes of everyone they passed, men, women, and children alike. He wanted to keep it that way, if it could be helped, but bringing Rigulus into the war with Gridamas wasn't something he could avoid. Setting a pretty rough pace for the group's march didn't really help take his racing mind off thinking about what happened in Rigulus proper, however.<p>

He was in relatively uncharted waters. He'd had a few youthful relationships and even more serious proposals back in Gridamas, but riding off to war put all of that on hold, and ever since, his world had been occupied with other matters. When he asked Luana what happened next, in the morning, she told him, "We go forward, of course. In whatever way you want. Just know that whatever you decide, I'll be with you." Gods, it felt good. It felt like some broken piece of himself he'd kept for many months was starting to mend, even as they pushed the march and prepared to fight a beast.

Luana herself felt like she was walking on clouds, carrying herself with a certain weightless spring to her steps even when she wasn't dancing or fighting. Sometimes she was far less sunny on the inside then her public face let on, but meeting Leo had turned that around. Their little night of passion in Rigulus had also done wonders for her already quite healthy self-esteem, and not just because she'd made both of them feel good. If it had just been the two of them, then she would have considered the matter nearly settled.

However, then she would look over to Fyuria, who had taken to bringing up the rear of the group or scouting ahead. The syrium flatly refused to meet her eyes, or Leo's, for that matter, and unlike her lover, Luana knew why. Things were just a bit more complicated than they would appear, twisted up like in a dramatic play. Just as the brave, but emotionally hurt and guarded, girl had begun to open up as a person and see Leo in a new light, Luana had…

What had she done, even? Deceived him, certainly. Denied her what she wanted, but at the same time, liberated her to feel and do things she might normally have refused to even think about. Fyuria herself spent quite a bit of time trying to sort out what she felt, and not making much progress, particularly since there was no other soul in this world she felt she could just talk to about them. Not the object of her affection, or the woman in white who had complicated everything, or her nearly idolized beloved brother… this was for her to consider. She withdrew, barely participating in group discussions anymore, and others noticed this but could scarcely approach her about it.

The prospect of fighting a giant, troublesome monster in a foreboding cave full of lesser fiends was almost welcome by the time they reached the area of the Cave of Origin and linked up with the Rigulus battalions, regulars who had been hard-pressed in recent times containing the beasts pouring from the cave and trying, unsuccessfully, to push inwards and destroy what command suspected was causing these attacks. Leo barely had to present his commission from King Gunther and the group was brought through the camps towards the commanding officer, a general in what had been a fine uniform four battles ago.

The situation on the scene was bloody, and the general was consistently rotating regiments in and out of the front, and more often than not every time the monsters pushed out of the cave she found herself writing letters to grieving families. She despised simply holding and waiting as night after night her defenses were tested, but there was little else to do, and all she had to do was give Leonhardt her logs of the seven attempted charges upon the cave. Each had gone differently but all had ended the same way.

Perhaps in an attempt to cause the great beast to die of shame, or just punish it for its obstinate behavior, the men at the front had taken to calling the behemoth 'Jumbo Cock', a name so absurdly ludicrous that it had found its way into her logs. From what Leo came to understand, the name sprang from the fact that the monster resembled in outward form and behavior a gigantic chicken.

His own journal reflected how he felt about this as the group spent the waning daylight hours and night in the camp, helping repel yet another monstrous push and preparing to move in at first light after a good breakfast. '_Finally the dread boulder has found a match in the west, an opponent truly worth our steel. Also note that we expect to find the Frontier's salvation in an army that could not defeat a larger version of a beast we routinely defeat and turn into our food_.'

The disgraced general found a lot more respect for the Rigulus army when he tried to do what they had before, and found the task difficult and, worse yet, annoying. His group moved in, supported by squads of fresh infantry from the rear, and together they broke the tide of monsters and sent the beasts fleeing. For every creature struck down or convinced to flee, however, ten more boiled up from the dark, cold stone depths.

Quickly noticing that he was being intruded upon yet again, Jumbo Cock made his appearance before Leo had even moved far into the cave. Fyuria spotted his dark form coming onwards and yelled at the regular army forces to pull back, which they were only too happy to do, leaving the creature to the outsiders and Luana.

Getting the great chicken into a chamber large enough to allow the party to maneuver, and yet keeping clear of the roiling hordes of lesser monsters that swarmed protectively around Jumbo Cock, was nearly as big a task as actually taking the creature on, despite his aggressive posture that took them off-balance before they adjusted their strategy.

Driving herself into an almost unreasoning frenzy, Fyuria took on the beast face-to-face, striking and withdrawing fast enough that even its rapid and powerful pecks missed her time after time. Her own attacks drew blood, however, her knives biting deeply past layers of hardened fathers and natural armors. The others moved in to take advantage of her aggressiveness, and to prevent her from being overwhelmed by other beasts while she focused on the huge chicken, and Zerva in particular covered her back and contributed several fire-based spells to burn Jumbo Cock and set him ablaze.

Electing to deal with the monsters instead of the greater beast, Luana commenced her dance of death, and Leo was still impressed every time he saw how she fought, movements seeming graceful and calculated as she sliced and diced any being that approached her. Even he found that putting intense feelings into the melee, while it could impede rational judgment, felt good and improved his fighting spirit.

Putting the great beast down pushed everybody to their limits again, and Leo found he hated himself a little more every time Ellis forced out another spell from herself, seeming to draw directly upon her own vitality for the power she needed to survive. With Borgnine staying close and caving in the face of anything that tried to approach, however, including Jumbo Cock himself, she was relatively safe, and the shrewd Vira-Lorr took the opposite approach, luring enemies in, only to use her earth-based magics to literally bury them and block off passages leading deeper into the nest.

Cutting off the beast's support and finally his lines of retreat left few options; either stand and fight against this powerful group, or leave the cover of the cave, where an army of thousands stood ready to swamp him on a word. He chose to take his chances with Leo's party, but in his rage, focused on the two syrium combatants and Luana as they struck again and again, killing it with a thousand cuts.

Fyuria tried many times to strike at a vulnerable part but, for his size, the creature had enough speed to avoid that, so she settled for any bit she could slice, her stamina seemingly inexhaustible. To Leo's great surprise, Jumbo Cock grew worn down from the exertions as well as the many small cuts that began to add up and bleed him dry.

"Borgnine!" The larva's defensiveness, at least until the last of the smaller monsters had been dealt with, left him fresher than the others, and Leo called out to him to finish things. "Concentrate everything you have just above his beak! Strike now while he's tired and confused!" Ellis nodded to her guardian when he glanced over at her, and he let out a snort like a bull about to charge, leaping forward with steel knuckles prepared.

Even with a fraction of the power he held in other planes and other places, he still delivered a literally bone-shattering punch that crashed right through Jumbo Cock's skull, and with a jarring crunch, it shook several times and then abruptly fell over, seemingly lifeless.

Zerva let out a cry of victory and raised his scythe, still glowing and causing the air around it to smoke with heat, but he saw his sister move in without a word, leaping atop the beast and nearly getting a bath of its blood as she climbed up to the neck and started stabbing with both of her knives. She struck again and again, striking to be sure, and striking to vent a little of what she felt, practically carving the thing up and soaking her weapons and slender hands in warm red colors.

Everyone else checked themselves and their friends for injuries, which were bandaged and healed as the mages' stamina would allow, at least stabilizing the worst of their pains. The battle had worn on them all, though, aside from Fyuria, who continued to stab and stab in silence, the only noise in the cave now, until Zerva called to her. "Sister. It's over."

She delivered one last defiant strike, right where the monster's brain should probably be, and then leapt off, gasping for breath as the exertions of the fight all flooded back at once and nearly caused her to collapse. "Yeah." She looked to the others and saw all eyes were pretty much on her, but at the moment, she was too beaten to care.

"What about the rest of the monsters? We don't know how deep the infestation goes in these caves," Vira-Lorr asked, huffing and puffing on her own blade a few times to help it cool off. Whereas the others' weapons may get dirty or bloody, hers were channeling magical capabilities, much like Zerva's scythe, and even a decent quality steel sword wasn't cut out to handle that forever. Hopefully Rigulus would reward their feat of heroism with enough to allow her to purchase a more expensive enchanted sword… and a few other nice things. Sometimes she did miss advising kings and emperors.

Leo approached Jumbo Cock, leaning over to look into one of his black, beady, soulless eyes. He hoped that the once-mighty creature was already dead. "They seemed to want to protect him pretty badly. Maybe without an anchor and protector, the others will scatter and refuse to attack… and in any case, if they keep acting up, the Cave of Origin can be sealed now."

"As soon as we make our escape," Luana agreed. "Pluck a few of its clean fathers and then come on! Let us deliver our report."

0-0

The sentries parted at her approach, despite having received no warning about it; any enlisted Gridamas man's first reaction to the appearance of Lady Elaine of House Reubech was to stand out of her way. She was taller than average, with the elegance of true, natural-born nobility and the harsh, commanding edge of a true general, and her dress, which featured at least as much armor plate as it did fabric for the most part and a single shoulder guard fashioned into the visage of a roaring lion, reinforced the idea that she was in charge of the situation. Elaine nodded to the guardsmen, tossed a bit of her well-kept, long night-black hair away from her face, and entered the finely-furnished conference room with a single good push against the doors.

Her friend, Sir Largen, looked over from his lieutenants who had gathered around him near a table strewn with maps and parchment rolls. With hair devoid of coloration, in fact as white as snow, despite only being middle aged, and a short, well-trimmed mustache, the only color to the man was his full plate uniform, which was colored a brilliant aqua and which complemented his white cape, a bit of flair that seemed at odds with his steady, soldierly personality. "My Lady." He nodded, and the minor officers between them came to attention.

"As you were," She replied evenly, and approached, parting the lieutenants effortlessly. "Sir Largen, my brigade has just arrived, as you can see."

He turned towards his lieutenants. "Dismissed. We will reconvene later." The younger men nodded and dispersed quickly, leaving the two generals with the room to themselves and greeting the guards as they left. Elaine's eyes traveled up to the paneled oak walls, and quickly landed on the Imperial banners hanging proudly next to a great map of the 'Empire and other territories'. "Welcome, My Lady. It is always good to see you are well."

She nodded in thanks. "Likewise, My Lord. " Pleasantries weren't something Largen put much stock in, though, so she knew that it was time to cut right to the heart of the matter. Something had been occupying her thoughts for far longer than the march from the Empire to this place, a fortification known as Mudus Gate, that protected Zelzagun Fortress' rear approach and, more realistically, provided the post with steady resupply. "How does the… recent deployment of troops strike you?"

"In what way?" He asked, and others might have mistaken his blunt tone of voice for defensiveness. She'd known him just long enough to understand that he nearly always spoke that way, even to friends of equal stature.

"The Invasion, as a whole, quite frankly, not just the recent calling up of our own regimental units." Elaine watched him closely, and saw his eyes flit over to the door to make sure it was fully closed, and thus depriving the sentires outside of most of their conversation, especially since they were just talking casually. No need to trouble the men with what he suspected might be coming.

"You're asking my opinion, My Lady? Or my appraisal from a professional perspective?"

"Either would suffice. I know that you were against the initial attack, however privately." Her memory extended at least as far back as that; she could remember a time before the arrival of the Dark Knight at Gridamas, a time before every citizen in the capital scrambled in fear of an early curfiew, and war rations hadn't wrung out the border provinces nearly dry. "And our Emperor hasn't been Himself since Sir Melchior brought that… man to his court."

That gave him pause. "That would seem to be an unrelated matter, My Lady, although I agree that the Emperor has been recently… somewhat indisposed. He is still capable of leading, and I have had the pleasure of an audience personally within the past few months."

"Yes, I had heard as much, which is why I ask… you saw for yourself. And as I said, his health seemed to decline around when the Dark Knight arrived… which is, I believe, around the time that the plans were being drawn up for the new attack on the Frontier."

Largen's eyes narrowed noticeably and he stood a bit stiffer. "I'm not sure a visitor from a distant region, however influential, could affect the Emperor's health, and national policy, so directly. Hertzfeldt was never known for being a pushover, particularly to outsiders."

She nodded, trying not to let his tension affect her calm. Elaine knew only too well how, even with a friend, a topic like this was dangerous. "Conceding the point for a moment, look at the results on the ground. I know you've been reading the same reports I have." Gridamas was stretched out dangerously thin, and it was a triumph of Imperial propaganda and media that almost nobody but the men on the front and the top commanders knew about it. The moment the Resistance found out that they weren't facing an invincible tide of steel-clad invaders… especially with Rigulus gearing up to join the fight in as soon as a week or two… "Nobody can claim we're losing this war. Nor that we're winning it. We're stuck, and in such a conflict, it's better to lose outright than remain mired like this. We bleed for nothing."

"Strong words," He replied, crossing his arms. "I would expect nothing less from you, though, My Lady. Perhaps that is why we've finally been called up from reserve duties and deployed forward. From what I understand, your unit will only be staying here a short time before continuing onwards to Zelzagun."

"I can only hope," Elaine replied with a small smile. "Even away from prying ears, you would avoid talking about this altogether?"

After a few moments lost in thought, Largen nodded. "Yes, I would. Without unity, among the people and the leadership, our Empire is helpless. Whatever my opinions were, we have our orders now, from the highest authorities in our Empire, including the Gods' chosen sovereign himself. That's the end of it."

There was little to gain by staying any longer, she could tell that.. '_No… it's really not_.' "If you'll excuse me, My Lord, I'll look for the quartermaster and see to our disposition." It was only once she'd taken her leave that she realized she was faintly shaking. This wasn't the man she'd known and respected for years, except in outward form.

"… What's happening to us?" She looked skyward, and, as always, the Gods had no answer for her.

0-0

Winfield found himself running faster than he ever had in his entire life, and given his life so far, that in and of itself was impressive. He had a lot of incentive, though; a week solid of pursuit, leaving him short on sleep and supplies and long on desperation, might be over in a few moments… if he didn't manage to trip over his own feet, or the uneven, rocky ground, and get past the red line before…

Before _he_ followed, as _he_ always did, in that slow, steady, almost casual place of his. It seemed to suit his pursuer, though; a big, creepy figure armored in black whose eyes never left him and who shrugged off every stray bullet or attack without the slightest reaction. Ever since running into the bastard near a Gridamas Army post on the border of the Frontier, Winfield had been running, and _he_'d been walking, and the mercenary had tried everything up to and including leading him through a Rigulus checkpoint.

Now that checkpoint and the officers who manned it no longer existed, dead because they tried to help Winfield, and if nothing else, he determined to live long enough to get a little revenge. '_I've been running a lot longer than a week, really; even before this bastard showed up to ruin my life, I bailed on Zerva and his army at that Gods-damned fortress… they're most likely gone, too. I'm getting sick of it_.'

Having finally figured that plinking away was worse than useless, and a waste of the time he spent to aim and load his flintlock pistol, he'd decided to put most of his powder bags to better use, and fashioned a number of explosives, buried them partially in what little soil remained in the wind-blasted valley, and lit the fuse. He couldn't quite remember how long he had, through the fog covering his mind, but he knew that when his time ran out the explosion would be dramatic.

Unaware that he was walking into the hastily-fashioned trap, the Dark Knight was almost at ground zero when the fuses reached their end, lighting off the powder. Winfield had a hard time observing the effect, considering that he was tossed forward and landed on his stomach, shaken by the blast to his bones, but in a way that was reassuring. If nothing else, he'd sprung things fairly well and, no matter what manner of creature was under that armor, it was reasonable to think he'd made a dent. He pulled some of his long, black hair out of his eyes and even took the time to pat his weathered brown coat to shake some of the dust loose.

The bombs had blasted hills of dirt and rock upwards and shook the weathered, craggy stone of the dry valley, but just when he allowed himself to get up his hopes, sitting up on his hands and staring at the great smoke and dust from the blast, he saw a dark figure looming through it. In a matter of moments, the Dark Knight emerged, and although Winfield could see blast scoring on his otherwise immaculately polished armor, he seemed unfazed.

"Son of a bitch… really?!" His new habit of yelling at the Dark Knight when he approached, as though he expected an answer, was almost certainly a facet of how damned tired he was. The most sleep he got the past few nights was in thirty-minute or so bursts, when he ran hard enough to gain a bit of distance on his pursuer and then collapsed from exhaustion until he could rally himself back to his feet. The Dark Knight was always on his mind now, and he knew that he was always coming, and he even had a pretty good idea of what was drawing his attention, even if he wasn't exactly sure why.

Leading the beast through the treacherous and mostly wild areas north of Gridamas but south of the Rigulus Control Zone had seemed like such a good idea at the time, and if nothing else, he had at least avoided bringing the bastard through any settlements yet. However, once he'd made it past the Kayastros Mountains and reached the valley between the western coast and the mountains, there was little opportunity to loop back and escape. In effect, he had sandwiched himself in, and for a great deal of time could find little else to do but go forward, and north, or turn and face his seemingly invincible assailant. At this point, he knew he was being herded, but there was little he could do.

From what reckoning he could figure in his head as he took off again, he'd made most of the trip already and, in a day or two, would arrive at the landmark Cave of Origin, one of the de facto barriers of Rigulus habitation. From there, his only option would be heading eastwards along the shoreline, where there was village after village, and from what he remembered of the news, Rigulus had little force concentrated up there. Conventional thinking held there was no reason to expect a major attack from the west.

He wondered if even a whole army marshaled together could beat the Dark Knight; he'd seen almost no evidence that he had any vulnerabilities at all. His fighting style was deliberate, but several times, Winfield had seen him move incredibly quickly, when he needed to. Any person who so much as touched the blade the Dark Knight wielded was as good as dead, he knew that.

Winfield was considering tossing himself from the jagged cliffs to the water below yet again, although the distance of the fall would likely prove harmful, or even lethal. '_Well. That's less of an issue for me but I'd rather save that until I have no other options…_' His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed, almost straight ahead up a small hill in the valley, a group of people coming into view. '_Really? Travelers, out here? Oh boy, have I got bad news for you…_' He picked up the pace, gasping for breath, hoping to arrive with enough lead time to warn them off.

Getting close enough to call out also meant getting close enough to identify the long cobalt hair of the two syrium in the party, and recognize the big muscular one, much to his own surprise. "Zerva?" He called out, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify the sound.

Eyes turned to regard him and Winfield realized how diverse the party was; he could see a large, dark, inhuman fellow bringing up the rear, a small pink-haired elf of some kind in almost regal attire, a women with an eye on her forehead, a human woman in white, and a man in a long white coat-

Wait.

"Golden Leo?" He said, barely having to shout anymore as they rushed forward, evidently having spotted the Dark Knight to his rear. He reached for his sidearm as he saw the Gridamas general pretty clearly leading the group, shouting a few terse orders as they got closer, but it was evident that he wasn't their target.

"Winfield?" Zerva called back, recognizing the mercenary, and not entirely fondly. At least he was a familiar face, though, and he said something to Leonhardt which seemed to jog his own memory. The only time the two of them had met, he had been in the Frontier's employ, and they had squared off in the no-man's-land in front of Zelzagun Fortress during the Resistance attack, and, with the aid of a bit of time and healing, Winfield could admit to himself that he'd run away that day because he was afraid Leo and his strange allies would butcher the rebels. Evidently, something else had happened.

"Under other circumstances I might not be so, uh, glad to see you, General," He addressed Leo directly. "But at the moment…"

"Yeah, we've met the Dark Knight before. Well, I have. Why are you here?" Leonhardt demanded, little trace of hostility in his voice, although his expression was tense as he regarded the dread figure coming slowly towards them.

The rogue looked backwards for a moment and allowed himself a long sigh. "He's been after me. Everything I've tried, up to and including high explosives, has failed to… dissuade him from his chase. I have to say… I could definitely use some help." Even if the people around Leo were now sworn to him as thralls in return for their lives, a practice not unknown to certain Gridamas officers, and their arrival signaled terrible things for himself and Rigulus, at the moment, he was almost tired enough to welcome any end that might come to this nightmare.

Everybody in the party went for their weapons, including Ellis, who produced a staff seemingly out of thin air that was about half as tall as she herself was. Winfield noticed Dyshana because she seemed entirely unarmed and quite unconcerned about the hulking armored figure bearing down on them, and certainly wasn't staring because the cut of her black dress revealed miles of appetizing female skin. She looked at him and he forced his eyes up to meet hers, and even while tired, he was little unnerved by how she didn't seem to blink all that often or change expressions.

"Leonhardt, this man has the Bracelet of the Covenant." She said, not taking her eyes from his. After a few moments, she filled in the question he barely needed to ask. "It is an artifact of immense value to the Dark Lord, Summeril… which is why the Dark Knight is following him."

"Then… that thing is the dark lord himself?" Fyuria asked, having only heard of the armored figure from what Leo and Dyshana had told her. He certainly looked the part, at least.

Dyshana shook her head, however. "No. He cannot even hope to match the true power of his master. He is but a tool, with a single use now... and he still may prove able to defeat our best efforts if we stand and fight him."

"Okay, so that's out of the question," Leo replied, torn between not wanting to look like the Dark Knight freaked him out and being badly freaked out. His general's mask wasn't terribly strong or convincing on this one. The sort of trauma he'd gone through at the Dark Knight's hands wasn't something one forgot, if one somehow survived. "Our only options are to fall back…"

"Which takes us back towards Rigulus," Winfield supplied, blinking a few times and trying to clear his head, only having partial success. Thinking was getting a bit difficult. He felt a little like he was dead on his feet.

Luana frowned, one of her many expressive gestures, regarding Leo. Seeing him so frankly worried over a single foe was quite new to her experience, especially right on the heels of the victory against Jumbo Cock. "Many of the units of the Second Corps will still be in the area, but they've been exhausted from fighting the monsters… I'm not sure we could count on much military support. Going back the way we came also means drawing this man through our rear areas, of course. Can we not at least get around him?"

The former Gridamas general turned traitor to his own kind shook his head. "I'd rather not, but…"

Unimpressed, either by the intimidating visage of Winfield's assailant, or Leo's determination, Zerva's eyes narrowed and he crossed his muscled arms. "Leonhardt, this is unlike you. He is one man-sized opponent; my sister and Luana together can occupy any one target, as you saw in the Cave itself. That's not to mention all the power we can bring to bear together. Whatever happens, we can deliver enough trouble to the Dark Knight to allow our group to pass southwards and retreat. There is no other option."

Despite their violent first meeting and the circumstances of the syrium, Leo now considered both elflike siblings his friends, and this reproach knocked a little bit of sense back into him. At least, he could acknowledge rationally that of his precisely two options, facing down his murderer blade-to-blade was the less unacceptable.

"Here he comes," The rogue mercenary croaked, coughing a few times and once again wondering when he would ever get used to inhaling gunpowder. His blast had done a wonderful job of kicking up so much smell and dust everywhere. Everyone looked back and saw the Dark Knight coming forward, showing no sign he even noticed them except for the occasional turn of his helm. "What's the plan, then?"

"Good question." Leo drew his blade and it gleamed brightly despite a few spots of blood he'd failed to get before it tarnished the weapon. "Okay. We know that Winfield here is the objective. If this bastard's Master wants the bracelet then it can't be good, so we'll do everything we can to keep him at bay. Borgnine, Luana, Fyuria, and I will all rush in and get in his face. Everyone else, support with ranged attacks and healing. Winfield, when he's heavily engaged, then get past him and take off at your best speed. Zerva, go with him. Either you'll get some distance or he'll turn around to follow you and give us an opening. In any case, when he's pummeled into the ground or we are, we fall back." He took a deep breath. "Everyone ready?"

Ellis tugged on the hem of his coat. "Be careful, Leo." He nodded, quite cautious already just with the Dark Knight's appearance, much less the idea of actually fighting him. Avoiding it sounded much more palatable. On the other hand, this was a matter drawing the attention of forces beyond them all, perhaps Dyshana. This was what he'd pledged his unnatural life to, winning her war, and for the first time the forces of darkness had given him a clear objective to achieve in stopping them. A bit of certainty felt nice.

"Come on, Ellis. After the giant chicken, everything else just seems so easy to do."

0-0

The sun was rapidly falling towards the horizon by the time the group finally elected to make their camp along the rocky, mostly barren coastline. There was just enough wood about to get a large fire going, which helped with the cooler air from the ocean; worries that they were going to be detected were less of a concern, given the linear path they were to be stuck on and the supernatural senses of their pursuer. "At some point we're going to lose him, probably just from the sheer distance," Leo said, more from hopefulness than any solid evidence of this. "Otherwise he'd have gone after Winfield the first day he arrived on Lucrellia."

The others gathered around, leaving tents, supplies, and whatever they were doing; even Fyuria picked her way towards the others and sat on a nearby log, absently rubbing the bandages on her stomach occasionally. "How much time do we have?" She asked, trying to keep her voice under control, although she couldn't help her face occasionally contorting from the pain. Ellis stayed close and occasionally put another healing spell upon her of some kind, and Zerva sat beside her protectively.

After so much time spent in this, Winfield had at least a pretty decent idea about that. "Given the ground we've covered, I'd say we have a few hours before he catches up… and that's not counting any speed loss he'll suffer for that thrashing we delivered." It was hard to say that he came out the worse in their fight, given that Fyuria was sliced with the poisonous blade, but her syrium constitution and some high elf magic would probably be enough to see her through. "Without you all, I would very likely be dead right now."

The group, given that they weren't all at the peak of fitness and one of them had been wounded, had cut a pretty brisk pace. Vira-Lorr didn't rEllish the prospect of doing it all again tomorrow, although they wouldn't be stuck in another fight, if they kept far enough ahead of the Dark Knight. "Unless we plan to run for most of a day and exhaust everything we have, I can't see us gaining much more distance upon him. He's slow, but steady. We lose our progress every time we have to stop for rest."

Leo nodded. "You're right. At least for now, I don't mind that terribly, though. We want to draw him from Rigulus as much as we want to keep out of his reach." He wasn't exactly happy about the situation they'd now been drawn into, but when he'd mentioned that to Dyshana, her reaction was interesting. She seemed as happy as she ever showed that they'd located this bracelet, and it seemed like it was about time to take stock and get some answers. He shifted on his perch and regarded the newest addition to their camp. "Winfield. How did this all start? What does the Bracelet of the Covenant actually, you know, what's the significance?"

Looking around and seeing all eyes upon him, the mercenary grinned wearily. He would frankly like nothing better than to fall over and get some rest, but even he had some sense of gratitude left through the fog of fatigue. "I used to tell people it was an heirloom from my family. That isn't, strictly speaking, the truth." He held up his arm and motioned to the magical artifact, and Dyshana in particular locked on it and never looked away. "In fact, it's an item I researched and sought out for years in the Frontier. A lot of the villages in the east held rumors about its power. The kind of power that could stop an entire army. For instance."

This seemed to take Zerva by surprised, at least a little bit. "Then you're a Frontier native? It would explain how the Resistance managed to contact and hire you so easily. Even if you didn't prove very reliable." His honest, and blunt, opinion left minor trauma but Winfield brushed it off. He deserved it, anyway, at least in his own mind.

Winfield's smile only grew, but there was little energy behind his eyes. "Yeah. I've been doing a lot of running lately, and trust me, I feel like shit. Or I would if I could feel much of anything anymore. Whatever. So, my search eventually led me to the very tip of the Frontier, and right off the coast, to the Holy Island of Erin." The name seemed to spark recognition in Vira-Lorr, Ellis, Zerva, and Fyuria at the same time, and they each had a slightly different reaction to it. Mostly, as they quickly vocalized, they were surprised it was a real place.

"The Bracelet had been stored there countless ages ago," Dyshana interjected somberly, still staring right at the artifact with an intensity and almost animation that Leo had never seen from her. "It was the most powerful of the Dark Lord Summerill's possessions." She did notice his genuine, if dull, surprise, and blinked once. "Despite questing for this relic, you didn't know of its power? The Dark Lord owned many more such trinkets but, even taken together, they could not equal the Bracelet." She paused for a moment, as though lost in thought. "It gave him the power of the Gods themselves."

"What?" Leo followed her eyes and looked upon the seemingly small, obsidian-black bracelet on the man's wrist. He didn't bother saying more, however; Dyshana was always serious, and there was nobody who could better command the whole group's attention as she spoke of this.

"That is why it was hidden away. Without the Bracelet, Summerill is missing a piece of himself, and much of his power remains locked away. He cannot be at his full strength until the Bracelet of the Covenant is recovered. He needs it. He seeks it above all things in this world."

"… And it's attached to my arm." The rest of the group was enraptured by this, but all Winfield could do was wonder at how his day had suddenly turned from 'Oh, I'm going to live' to 'Oh gods why'. "The Lord of Darkness himself wants this thing on my arm more than anything else, and the Dark Knight over there…"

"Is only one of his lesser servants," She explained. "If Summerill himself had found you, there would have been no contest, no fight. All would be lost. If any of his servants are allowed to recover it, then the war is over."

Luana leaned forward, eyes practically sparkling. Where others were suddenly taken aback by what was at stake and the forces they had awakened, she was excited. "It hardly seems like mere coincidence that our little detour south could have brought us to such an important artifact. This is doubtless fate once again interfering with our struggle."

Brightening a little as though reflecting her cheerfulness, Winfield bobbed his head. "I do enjoy the idea that fate brought such a beautiful woman to save me in the hour of my greatest need."

"Why sir, you flatter me! Please continue." Their personalities seemed to resonate as they exchanged bits of banter back and forth, but Fyuria's mood, and face, darkened from something other than physical pain now. She could see Leo wasn't exactly happy about this, either; they both seemed to still be coming to terms with what happened back in Rigulus, but Luana, outwardly, was just her usual energetic, lively, confident self. If anything, her outward persona was more intense than ever. This little thing made Fyuria want to tell Leo everything, at least for a moment, but the thought was so embarrassing that she quickly buried it. Perhaps one day. It wasn't like Luana owed Leo or, certainly, herself anything, right?

Much of this passed over Ellis' head, although it was probably because her mind was on weightier matters. She stood and confronted Winfield, reaching out for his bracelet. "Give it to us," she demanded in a somewhat childish tone, although the high elf was dead serious. If their job was to defeat the Dark Lord as Dyshana had said, then they had to guard this thing at any cost.

"Ah. About that…" Winfield looked over, and seemed unwilling to explain further, which didn't exactly help his case. Zerva scowled a little bit, although whether he was just angry at the mercenary in general, or he sensed Winfield was still holding something back, was hard to tell. "I wish I could."

"Hrmph." Unsatisfied, Ellis glanced back towards her almost entirely silent guardian. "Borgnine! Relieve him of this bracelet." With neither hesitation or glee, just a blank neutral expression, the godlike Larva approached, looming over the tired and very worried mercenary.

"Hey, wait! It's not that simple, I actually can't take this thing off!" Winfield protested, backing up a bit, but Borgnine was upon him in a moment, and seized his arm to keep him still. "Trust me, I've tried! Many times!"

"We'll see," Ellis said, and with another nod, her guardian began to try to remove the bracelet from his wrist. Violently.

"_OW-"_

0-0

Sometime later, and after nearly having been deprived of one of his limbs, a very sore and very annoyed Winfield called the meeting back to something like order. "Okay. So we've now established that removing it _isn't possible_, no matter how much you pull." At least the extreme pain kept him a bit more awake and alert, so there was something. The rest of Leo's group seemed to take at least a little humor from the situation, as well. Good for them.

"Indeed." Borgnine shrugged a bit, looked back towards his master, and then took his seat again on the periphery of the little camp. For a short while, the only noise was the healthy crackle of the fire as everyone pondered on this new discovery.

"So I suppose amputation's out of the question," Zerva said, half to himself, and that about exhausted the last of Winfield's patience.

"Would you at least refrain from talking about me as though I'm not standing right here, General?!" He hadn't exactly predicted this would be the reaction, but at the same time, he was still in no position to be picky. If their situations had been reversed, well… he could understand some of this. '_Now I'm caught in it, I suppose_.' "So, my charming vision of… nnngh…" He massaged his shoulder a bit and winced. "Loveliness, Dyshana, was it? Would you know a way to actually remove it?"

She met his gaze once he finally managed to get it as high as her face. "Only one that does not involve harming you directly; if the Dark Lord is destroyed, and utterly scoured from the face of our world, then the Bracelet will cease to hold any power."

A few beats of utter silence, and he stared a bit from sheer mental numbness. Finally, he managed a remark. "Oh. Is that all, then?"

Leonhardt leaned forward, hands resting on his legs. "Winfield, I understand that you've gone through quite a lot recently and must be at least as exhausted as we are…" The rogue smiled at the understatement. "But you know we can't simply walk away from this. We are involved now with forces that we once thought completely beyond the influence of mortal men. Well, here we are, and we've got an opportunity to become the heroes this world needs, and in the process, save ourselves and everyone else. Will you join us?" He stood, and didn't quite match Winfield's own height, but he saw a fire in his eyes that wasn't just reflected from the bonfire. After a moment, he realized Leo was holding out his hand.

"… Well, when you put it like that, who could refuse?" He took the man's offered hand, they shook, and just like that, their group had inherited a crushing burden, a tired new ally, and an unfathomably powerful enemy bent on finding them, no matter what. '_I hope it works out for you all. Hard to imagine what even brought you out here; the war's the other way, and by quite a bit_.' There was time for questions later, however; everyone was tired out, several people were hurt, and Winfield could scarcely get onto a bedroll before he was out and dead to the world.

Sleeping felt so good, even though many of his dreams were strange and even frightening. He also felt like he'd woken far too early, although the rest of the group had spared him from any shifts. Leo, in fact, had pulled double shifts despite Vira-Lorr's advice, and now he was the one who didn't look so good as the group began to break camp, pack up, and wonder when the big night-black metal bastard was going to come over the horizon.

A day-long march along territory more or less lost to modern civilization, with practically no humans at all and a variety of wildlife, monstrous or harmless, was an excellent time to talk, and the group was happy to tell him all about their exploits, so far, fighting Gridamas troops and overcoming the unfortunately named 'Jumbo Cock' in the north. In such a diverse group, though, everyone had an interesting story to offer, and aside from the syrium, they talked freely.

Eventually he even got the story of Leo's hasty defection, and gained a new appreciation for how he leapt into battle with the exact same barely-human creature to protect him. Ellis and Luana played up Leo's heroism greatly for his actions, whereas he himself seemed a bit more humbled or even a bit embarrassed, pointing out what he got from his noble deed, namely, a painful gut wound and a humiliating death.

So Dyshana was both devastatingly beautiful, mysterious and wise, intelligent, direct and focused, and she had the power to bring a man from the very precipice of eternity to, very frankly, a condition better than what he'd been going into his last fight. Or at least, had at one time possessed such a power; she was rather clear that, were one of their group to need similar help, she was fairly sure she couldn't duplicate the trick, as she had put much of her power into Leo in his capacity as a Soul Vessel.

What they told him was at least equaled, if not outweighed, by the things they didn't tell him, or otherwise information he picked up on, watching all of the group keenly at one point or another, now that the fatigue had retreated a bit and ceased to dull most of his senses into uselessness. He'd always been a bit of a people person, and even though most of the group wasn't technically human, in many respects, people were people. The specifics were hard to grasp, and often he wouldn't dare ask until they'd known each other much longer, but it was easy to pick up on some of the social dynamics.

He was relieved that his initial impressions, of Leo and the rest of the group, were mostly incorrect, especially given that he was now a staunch enemy of the Gridamas Empire and what it stood for. Unlike many others in the Frontier, he was just happy to see it happen, and would welcome deserters from the Empire with open arms from sheer usefulness if nothing else. Assuming they ever got free of this situation, he'd be asked to throw himself back into hellish battle, no doubt… but if it was only fighting against men or beasts, he could manage.

Leonhardt was shocked by how quickly their progress became nearly routine as they moved southwards, still for the most part making sure to stay close to the coast. The group would scramble to cover as much terrain was possible without actually exhausting their ability to fight, if necessary, clearing out beasts as they went and defending themselves from the mostly pitiful monsters in the area, and then stopping to rest for a time. Everyone knew that at any minute the Dark Knight could catch up, and so the sleep they got sustained them but was not terribly satisfying.

At least they avoided any more engagements with their foe, staying well clear of him even though, as Vira-Lorr predicted, he nearly caught them every time the group stopped to rest for more than an hour or two. He tried to keep calm and keep everyone thinking about things other than their relentless pursuit, but when his mind wandered off, it went right to Luana again, and sometimes he wished he could force himself to not-think at all.

It wasn't even like all this thinking, and musing, and even brooding would matter, given that he certainly wasn't going to bring up this subject, even though he had ample time to pull Luana aside for a bit. He didn't know it, but Fyuria felt almost the same, grateful in a way for her own indecision, just this once. At the best of times, it seemed like reading Luana was difficult, and Leo didn't know if she was as boundlessly happy as she appeared. '_Well, I hope she is_.'

Days and miles passed under their feet, and eventually the group found a good pace, a rhythm they could keep that would make them merely worn out and grouchy as opposed to weak and helpless. Even as an admittedly quite pampered officer who'd even had a horse to ride on occasion, Leo knew that eventually people who had to march around whole countries got their 'legs', as the troops used to say. Even Ellis was getting used to the travel, and he was glad for that, although she still took frequent rides atop her towering, and patient, Borgnine. That made him a bit jealous, although he knew he would be an awkward fit on his shoulders in any case.

0-0

Eliane approached the commanding officer's personal study, a suitably large library built by noble families and repurposed for the Army's purposes, with high stone arches and carvings of several of the most prominent of Gridamas' Old Gods. Few believed in the old ways anymore but remnants of that culture, in the art and writings, were still everywhere. She took a few moments to stare and then knocked softly. "Enter!" She heard faintly through the finely-crafted oak door, and took a deep breath, stepping inside.

"Hello, My Lord," She said, bowing deeply to Sir Largen. "Have I interrupted your work?"

"I don't believe I am busy at the moment, My Lady," The general replied, looking up from a desk piled high with papers. "It is always good to see you are well." He smiled, and she smiled back, and for a moment she thought she saw something familiar there. Perhaps this time she would avoid her complaints altogether. It wasn't like they'd have any effect on the man, except to further frost over their atrophied friendship.

"Thank you, and I return the compliment, sir. As you know, it has been a week since my brigade arrived here." Mudus Gate, the riverside fortification. had once been called the 'Gateway to Gridamas' before Zelzagun Fort had blocked passage further northwards. Now the post was mostly to ensure steady and even supplies to the garrison, and emergency reinforcements should it fall under another serious attack. Thanks to Mudus, Zelzagun could be sieged for years and last in perfect comfort; nothing short of storming its ramparts would prove effective, and the Resistance had already seen the fruits of that sort of attack.

"Indeed. How have you found it so far?"

"Very lovely," She lied right to his face without breaking mental stride. Well, some parts of the town within the Mudus Gate fortifications wasn't bad, but being out from the main cities of the Empire was always somewhat depressing. She also had a lot on her mind, which brought her to the reason for her intrusion. "However, the men grow… antsy. I see no reason to keep them much longer from our objective, reinforcing Zelzagun. To that end, unless Command wishes otherwise, I intend to pack up and march for the Fortress within the day with at least half, and probably all, of my host."

"Indeed. I trust you have informed Command beforehand." She nodded a bit in reply, and his expression shifted just a bit, darkening. "I have reviewed the latest from Zelzagun, My Lady, and it hardly seems as though we need to speed up our timetable for reinforcements. The enemy have yet to test our defenses there since the great battle was decided in our favor."

Much of his question was left unsaid, but she'd spoken with him many times recently, including a few discussions that might have gotten her in trouble, were they brought to the attention of High Command. That may have been one of the reasons he looked very cautious now. She didn't break her smile, and explained a little of her reasoning. "Well, there is no great need, that is true, but frankly, I grow eager, as well. Setting off quickly will keep the men from settling down, at least until we reach the Fortress. Perhaps we can hope for our deployment on the front soon enough."

"Mmmh." He shook his head. "My Lady, the last time we spoke… I was deeply concerned for your wellbeing. It seems you have improved, but I take it you still harbor the… sentiments you expressed privately?" He glanced over and saw that the door was firmly closed behind her, as he had last time, and thus ensuring that the soldiers outside were ignorant of their talk.

"I will continue to feel that this war is a grave mistake, My Lord," She replied, and didn't flinch at his gaze. "I have not concealed this fact; you have no need to worry about that. My petitions to Command were all, of course, rejected, as I expected they would be. My mind hasn't changed, however. We are stretched thin, and if the Frontier knew how thin we were on the ground… what the situation for our logistics was thanks to their skirmishing and raiding… and if we can't subdue the Frontier, what will we do when Rigulus finally gains their senses and joins in against us? There are also the moral aspects to my objections, which I have, of course, already told you about in painful detail."

"Indeed," he nodded sternly. Such talk made him visibly upset, but he held an iron self-control and said nothing more, inviting her to continue. '_Oh, lovely. So much for avoiding the topic… why didn't I predict how well that wouldn't work on him_?' "But despite what we might feel, as soldiers, we are called to serve the Emperor and defend Gridamas above all else."

"Of course," she replied, almost without thinking. "But with every day that passes it becomes more obvious that this war has nothing to do with defending ourselves. I am not quite sure why the Emperor decided now was the time and the place to spark another conflict with the Frontier…"

Before she could get any further, Largen cut off this line of discussion. "We're unlikely to reach agreement on this point, My Lady." Things were back to tense, and the sort of tense she'd felt the day that she'd come to announce her arrival here.

Elaine's expression, which had slipped, returned to a peaceful one. It was much different from her actual feelings. "True. In any case, I thought it best to inform you of my plans in person. Thank you for your time." They nodded respectfully, and as she turned, Largen had one last thing to say. He had a hard time putting it in words, but it seemed to her that the older man knew what was coming in some way, or at least had his suspicions.

This latest talk seemed to confirm it. "My Lady, what do you plan to do?"

She fished for a suitable answer, and let out a sigh before looking over her shoulder. "What's best for Gridamas, My Lord. As always." With that, she left. '_I'm not looking forward to our next meeting_.'

0-0

To his own honest surprise, Leo never found himself face-to-face with the Dark Knight again after the initial confrontation; in fact, despite VIra-Lorr's prediction, which typically was something he'd learned to rely upon, they seemed to slowly be gaining ground. Every day, they were a bit more exhausted than the last, but they were outpacing their pursuer bit by bit. It was hard to say for certain, and there was always the very real possibility that he might decide to stop toying with them all and show his full speed, but if everything stayed constant, they might make it outside his ability to sense the bracelet, for now.

They may have even done so already. Nobody was willing to stop for a day or two, no matter how much they all wanted it, just to test that, and risk, at best, erasing all of their progress. Luana was by far the most experienced in this region, even though she admittedly stuck to the urban areas for most of her career. She was happy to broach the subject, though, eager to return to the King and report their success personally. "We were cut off by the mountains, but the land farther south is known as the Managua Plains, and although it's sparsely populated, we can cut sharp to the east and make it back to Rigulus itself via good lands and eventually rejoin the road network. That would be the fastest way back, I'd say, about a week until we reach the city."

"Thank the Gods for that, at least," Winfield contributed, having more or less integrated into Leo's group and, with a bit more sleep and some people to keep watch with him when making camp, he had regained much of his characteristic energy and vigor. Now, Leo had to admit, the mercenary and the spy were even more of a natural pair, and that thought stirred a flash of jealousy despite his best efforts to suppress it. Surely what had happened in the city meant something.

'_But what, exactly? As long as she's happy…_' A mask of sleep-deprivation, caused by pulling long watches to get a bit of reading and writing done, let him disguise his pondering about this as he leaned in towards the map. "That path will take us through the heart of the central Rigulus Control Zone, including at least seven major towns, too. I don't expect they'll be defended heavily, either."

"So if he is still following us…" Vira-Lorr trailed off for a moment and sighed. "If only this damned fog would lift from my sight for five minutes… every war is fought and won based on information, you know. I'd forgotten what it was like to not even have a clue what my opponent's doing beyond the horizon." Although she was one of the oldest people here, she scarcely looked it, and her youthful face scowled out at the horizon as though she was looking directly upon the Dark Knight. "In any case, Leonhardt, it's up to you."

In such a diverse and oftentimes contentious group of friends, Winfield had expected there to be disagreement with one person just taking the lead, but everyone else just nodded a bit or held their tongue, even the syrium. He watched the human general lean forward, staring at the map for a few seconds as the campfire crackled in the background and its healthy red light flickered.

"By this point, it'll be the same distance whether we go northwards or move along the edge of the main Kayastros range." He produced a dagger and traced two paths in the air above the map. "Since we aren't sure if we're out of danger yet, I'm also leery of taking us through the civilian areas there." He motioned towards the southern route and everyone leaned over to look. "So, going this way will let us rejoin the roads faster, and the wardpost on the route, Divinity's Reach, is likely to have the latest from the capital earlier than the villages. I think the news would be of great importance to all of us."

Zerva nodded, arms crossed, solemn as ever. "The situation back home may have changed, for better or worse, and news may even have made it back by now about Rigulus suddenly discovering their collective backbone." He glanced over to Luana. "No offense."

"That's new," The dancer said, grinning big enough that she looked as though she might burst. "Typically your sister and yourself just give offense without any care. Growing soft?"

"You're the exception," He assured her, and Fyuria, as she had been doing for almost all of their deadly little detour, was keeping somewhat quiet and staying near Zerva as much as she could.

Leo concluded the meeting quickly. "South it is, then. Alright. We'll pass the plains and turn eastwards around this. I'd say we're not likely to see much human traffic, excepting outlaws or outcasts, until we hit Divinity's Reach in a few days." He pointed it out on the map, the fort clearly marked as sitting just on the edge of the narrow and almost impassable routes further into the mountains. Rigulus was watching the routes from Gridamas, even those that couldn't hold more than a scouting party, and there would be soldiers there who they could talk with, at least.

Despite the fact that their pace slowed a bit, and they slowly became sure that they were clear of the present danger, the group still made good time, especially since they soon found the back roads that took them through the plains and southwards into the forested areas at the foot of the mountains that formed the effective border between the northern slice of Lucrellia and Gridamas' territory.

0-0

The sun was steadily dropping, set to abandon Lucrellia to darkness within the hour, and Leo could hear, faintly, the rush of a river in the distance. With a sigh, he looked back at the group and motioned to a nearby clearing. It was large enough to raise several tents around a campfire pit, and still encircled by trees and brush. Anything approaching them was going to make noise and startle beasts. "This seems as good a place as any to make camp for the night. Let's raise tents." Nobody had any objections, and quickly unslung their packs and other burdens.

Although Borgnine had willingly taken almost all of her share of the weight, Ellis was still grateful to toss away her pack and find a sturdy log to have a seat, flattening out her finely-made skirt and letting out a dainty sigh. "At least! Sweet rest." Leo couldn't deny that the clearing was looking more attractive every time his feet throbbed and he slumped a little more in fatigue, and even after all this time, marching like a frontline infantryman was something he needed to work on.

He approached her and patted her on the shoulder, trying to carry himself like he wasn't too tired for the moment and putting on a big smile. "You've certainly earned it, Ellis. You carry yourself as well as any of my old soldiers on the long march."

The high elf girl absolutely beamed under the praise, especially from him. "It's because of you that I try so hard, Leo! Or maybe it's just that I enjoy coming along with everyone and being a part of the group."

Leo wondered if Ellis ever noticed the looks that Zerva gave her occasionally, typically when they were going into a dangerous situation. Well, it wasn't his idea to bring her along originally, but she seemed to take to this sort of life as well as any child might be expected to. '_An average child can't reverse a gouging sword wound, or at least most of it, within a handful of seconds, either_.' At the sound of footsteps approaching in the brush, he looked over and nodded to Vira-Lorr calmly.

"So young, and yet she complains about nothing," The seer said, trying to keep her voice down, but she saw the high elf's prominent ears perk up just a bit. "Her bravery is remarkable." Leo nodded again, this time in agreement.

Ellis' eyes fluttered and she bowed a bit atop her perch. "Tee hee. Are you complimenting me? You shall make me blush!" She was practically beaming, as she tended to do when praised, and Leo found her smile infectious.

The others were quickly discarding their burdens into piles and helping to start setting up the camp, and Luana, noticing that praise was being given out, made it a point to sit nearby and let out a long, theatrical sigh. "I, too, am exhausted from today's exertions," she pronounced, and then waited a beat or two, looking at him expectantly.

Well, it wasn't as though she wasn't pulling her weight in the group; without her, he wouldn't have gotten a new coat, after all. He was still trying to figure out exactly how much she paid for that, but it was well above her ability to pay her back, unless he was to be made Emperor of Gridamas after all of this was finished. '_I wish_.' "And you as well, Luana. You have done an excellent job today."

A bit disappointed by this, she frowned. "Eh? Is that it?" Winfield's laughter could be heard on the other side of the camp, but out of the corner of her eye, the traveling entertainer caught a flash of cobalt hair and glanced over to see Fyuria sitting somewhat apart from everyone else, and staring right at her. It was hard to tell the look in her face, exactly, but she definitely seemed contemplative.

The fortune-teller grinned about as wide as she could when she noticed Fyuria, as well. "Oh? What's this? Does someone wish a little more praise would come her way?" She looked about like a fox that had just spotted something that might look good to eat.

This provoked a flare of anger and the syrium shook her head sharply. "Eh? What's this? Why should I be jealous of, of someone like her?" Luana's expression didn't move even a little bit, although the dancer did decide she'd had about enough of this conversation and moved on.

It was sort of hard to take Fyuria's sudden anger head-on, though, as though everyone thought she might lash out at anyone who made eye contact, as foolish as that was. "She scares me, Borgnine," Leo heard quietly out of the corner of his ear and just about refrained from grinning at Ellis' remark.

"Alright, everyone, let's get started," The outlaw general called out after a short break.

Luana already had most of the cooking supplies from the packs gathered together near the center of their new camp area, and was quickly clearing away a good space for a campfire. "I suppose I shall start dinner in a while," She announced. "Leo, darling, would you be so good as to lend me a hand here?" Pretty much everyone else had things to do, and even Ellis had insisted on helping out in nailing down and pitching the tents.

Before he could so much as look over towards her, however, he heard Fyuria call out from the perimeter. "Wait! Leo, come here, I need your help."

'_Oh_'. For a moment, in the bustle of the group, Leo was just a little lost. He looked from one woman to the other and blinked a few times, and then took a deep breath. Clearing some space for a fire and getting it going wasn't terribly hard to do, especially for an experienced traveler, but if Fyuria was going to be getting wood or water in any decent amount, she could use an extra pair of hands. '_Even if she can probably lift more than I can_.' He gave Luana an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, I'd better get over there. Next time, I'm yours to use as you please. Mostly."

He turned, but was stopped dead in his tracks by Luana's reply. "Ah, I see you're susceptible to Fyuria's brow-beating." He glanced back at her. "Ah? Oh, well. I just didn't know you were the type to, you know, get whipped like this. You certainly didn't seem like that back in Rigulus."

Leo felt a little as though he'd been shot. "It's not like that, and you know it." After a long day of walking and just a tiny bit of possibly childish brooding, though, he wasn't in much of a state to explain further.

Despite that, she agreed with him immediately, but in that _way_ she had. "Ah, of course, of course. You'd better get going before you get in trouble!" He knew almost without looking back at her that she was still smiling the whole time, but she knew just how to get at someone with a few choice words, sharpened like needles. Before he said something he knew he'd regret, he made his way towards the syrium's call, and let out a deep sigh. At least on an intellectual level he could admire her skill with words-as-weaponry sometimes.

Right now, though, and while he was still sorting out what he wanted out of his second life, much less romance during the war and all of that, it was not appreciated. He was visibly bothered as he helped find some good trees, chop them, and lug the wood log-by-log back towards the camp. They needed a good supply to tend the fire as well as a bit to carry with them, just in case they went somewhere less lush. Fyuria could see he was bothered but, agitated herself, didn't ask about it, and for a time they worked together in silence.

Eventually, the labor actually helped to calm him down. The fatigue also helped; staying mad took energy that could better be used yawning. As he loosened up, he started to make idle chatter, which Fyuria didn't really reciprocate. "I have to say, I'm impressed…. Ellis helps out so much around the camp, even though she could just get Borgnine to do it all."

He wasn't really expecting to get a reply, but she spoke up finally. "Ellis again? She came of her own free will, Leo. I know you worry after her like a parent… But it starts to grate when it's nothing from you but 'Ellis this' and 'Ellis that'!"

Leo physically winced and shook his head. "You've been like this since we left Rigulus, Fyuria. I know you still might not trust me entirely, but at this point… I thought we might become friends."

That remark brought her up short and she stumbled a bit before readjusting the load in her hands. "Friends?" Fyuria echoed, and her eyes narrowed a bit. Of course, he wouldn't really understand what she was thinking about; only one other person could possibly know. '_Well, it's not an unreasonable thing, I guess… and it's not like I can blame him about that if he doesn't even, well, know_.' So she took a few deep breaths and then, to his surprise, nodded. "Well we can certainly talk, if you have anything you want to discuss."

Once again aware that he was being offered an opportunity here, Leo grinned appreciatively and then set out to quickly think up a topic that wouldn't lead to a negative outcome. What could he use, even if it was a bit of small talk? '_Hm… oh, I've got it_.' "Weren't you a child yourself once, Fyuria?"

Dropping off the latest load of firewood to be chopped near the camp perimeter, she let out a sigh, wiping her hands a bit and looking away. "What, do you think I was born looking as I do now?" Leo regarded her for a few moments, and figured that, especially given her usual attire, he could get a pretty good view of her. He certainly didn't mind, after all.

"Well they didn't teach us too much that was useful, or true, about syrium, so it's hard to be sure." Apparently his reply got at least a snort, so he kept on with it. "I'm just having a hard time imagining Zerva as a kid."

Typically, a smile was a good sign, and she turned to smile at him a bit as they made their way back towards the forest. "Well, I assure you, he was once." A few moments later, she added, much less certain, "Almost certainly."

"There's room for doubt?" Finding her smile a bit infectious, he found himself sharing it.

"Well, he has looked about the same for as long as I can recall. Perhaps we age as humans do, but in a different way. I was never really that curious about it before now."

Now to the question he really wanted to ask. "So, how old is Zerva, then?"

Fyuria took a few moments, and then replied thoughtfully, "If memory serves… one hundred and sixty-six this year. Nearly twice my age." She blinked a few times, set down her burden with the other wood they gathered, and then looked over to Leo, and really noticed his expression now. It had changed into something resembling shock, and she felt her face heat up. "What? Is something the matter?" Her tone was harsh again.

Leo shook his head quickly and dropped his own load, brushing off his hands. "No, of course not, I just… well. I somehow figured you would be younger than me." An image of a man steadily digging deeper and deeper into the group came to him for a moment, for some reason.

"Well, just forget what I said! I'll have you know, I'm relatively quite young." With that, she was off, back towards the forest at a good rate of speed, and the human had to pretty much start jogging to catch up. They'd already gathered plenty of materials to last the campfire through the night, and a little to carry with them to their next encampment, but that wasn't stopping her.

He tried to think of something to say to mend the situation, drawing upon his vast diplomatic experience. "All I meant to say was that I figured you have a lot of experience in life that I don't, yet."

She slowed a little, allowing him to catch back up, and now they were far away from the camp and even the sounds of it were dying off. "If that's the case, maybe you should consider showing me a bit more deference, as befits my seniority. And you can start with keeping my age to yourself, as you please!"

Leo nodded, and despite his better nature and common sense saying otherwise, his impulsive follow-up got him into a little trouble. "Of course, Grandma."


	12. The Die is Cast

**A/N: **_I'll be honest, this sat moldering in my documents for almost literally a year before I even started to really work on it, and then suddenly, I got the bolt of inspiration to produce 10-12 pages in the space of a few days. I can't really account for why, except that I'm still having a blast writing fanfiction, and I still really like the characters._

_I guess due to the long scope of my projects and how some of them don't get done fast, you could even go back and like, chart my growth as a writer. I hope there's some growth, anyhow._

_No smut here, just personal things, and the introduction of the girl who absolutely stole my heart in the First Generation._

* * *

><p><strong>The Die is Cast<strong>

_First Generation_

Leonhardt x Elaine

* * *

><p>About the only good thing Leonhardt had to say about the barren, dry, jagged rocks of the mountain pass he now found himself in was that a few of the rocks were decent enough cover. He <em>needed<em> that cover, up as he was on extended recon with his newest friend, Winfield. The two men had effectively crawled for close to an hour now in the midday sun, getting up to the top of a gentle slope, careful to remain concealed at every point on their trip, for when they finally reached the top and Winfield produced an observing glass.

Leo couldn't help a bit of a breathless grin at that; he'd had his own glass back when he wasn't a traitor, but it, like most of his property, was gone. He didn't expect to see any of it ever, either, even assuming his brilliant plans went off without a hitch.

Speaking of which… "Yep, m'lord, that's line infantry, alright. I'd say they're putting at least a full battalion through the pass." The rogue offered him the glass, which he accepted, leaning up slightly and pressing it to his left eye.

Well, there they most certainly were. The dust had made it clear for some time that a body of men were moving through the area, which was what brought the two of them out here in the first place, and even has he focused he could see the lines of black-clad infantry, marching in good order with banners out and pickets leading the way. Although the range was long for hearing, he swore he could make out the echoes of distant drum-beats, too. "Yep. It's hard to make out a total because they'd have to narrow the column to get through here." It was a good formation for moving troops through a narrow area, although it showed that these Gridamas troops weren't expecting a fight today. "But a battalion looks about right. Gods damnit."

"Well what are they doing here?" Obviously, this was Rigulus territory by law and treaty, but that was less a concern at the moment then the practical question Winfield raised. "Unless this is the leading unit in a larger army coming through bit-by-bit, I don't get it. That's no scouting party."

He had _that_ right. Line infantry weren't sent on force recon missions, anyhow, and _this_ force was too large for that. If nothing else, the Gridamas military was regular, professional, and predictable.

Or, so he thought. "I doubt they'd try that; they'd move through most of a brigade, get spotted by a pair of idiots with a glass," He paused a beat to get past Winfield's chuckle, "And then maybe get two or three in before the Rigulus Army gets here." Even the nearest allied units could keep the pass bottled up, easily, even under pressure, to hold until the Capital could send a big enough force to push Gridamas back. That was part of the reason that until now each nation had only bothered with guardposts and border patrols on either side of the mountains. "And yet…"

"Can you make out the banners at this range, General? What regiment?" Winfield couldn't make heads or toes of it himself but then again he hadn't spent most of his life as a gentleman, an officer, or both in Gridamas.

"Oh, right." He had been so taken aback by getting his worst suspicion confirmed that he hadn't even bothered trying to identify them yet. He turned head just a bit and tried to focus, taking a deep breath and peering through the glass. All that wasn't necessary, though; even at quite a distance, he'd have to be blind to fail this test. "… Wow. I can hardly… yeah. No, I can hardly believe it at all…"

"Well?" His companion didn't appreciate being kept on tenterhooks, trying to peer up without the aid of the glass for a moment before giving that up. Leo abruptly handed it back to him, however, and then slowly got to his feet. "M'lord? What are you doing?"

"I recognize that banner. I'm going on ahead, Winfield, get the others and get back to me, as quickly as you can." Without leaving even a moment for the cursed man to object, Leo was down, springing with what agility and energy he had left, watching his step as he started down the other side of the hill… straight towards a full complement of Gridamas foot.

After that, all Winfield could do was stare for a few moments, and then shake his head with a soft grin, raising his firelock straight up into the air, and pulling back the hammer to fire without any shot loaded. There was powder, though; enough to make a distinctive crack and a burst of smoke. A few moments after he gave the alert signal, he looked back and saw another pair of firelocks shoot into the sky, followed by the distant echo of a third.

"Goddamnit, Leo, I thought Generals were supposed to be smart."

On his way down the hill, Leo took a length of bandaging from one of his coat's pockets and tied a tight knot of white, with a large streamer, near the tip of his golden sword. Hopefully that would prevent the pickets from attacking him on sight, and signal his desire to parlay with the enemy's commander. Something told him they would be receptive to this; of any regiment in the whole of Gridamas' army to appear here, to have it be this one, at the very time they were passing by?

Briefly, perhaps to distract himself from what a bad idea this looked like on paper (and was, quite honestly), his thoughts flickered back to Dyshana, and what she'd already told him about fate. Did a battlefield commander really have the luxury of believing in something like coincidence?

For whatever reason, the sight of Golden Leo emerging alone under a banner of truce stunned the farthest skirmishers ahead of the main group, who ordered him to halt and sent word by their fastest runner into the depths of the pass. His chance to change his mind and leave was probably gone at this point, and he cast a gaze backwards, wondering how long it would take his friends to get to him.

A sergeant in full greatcoat tried to speak with him but he refused to talk to anybody but their commanding officer, who was quickly sent for, while every Gridamas soldier around looked like they expected him to attack at any moment, weapons at the ready. The tension was palpable, and it was difficult to sit still while more enemies, former allies, appeared. They were straight in the path of the oncoming column, too.

Looking towards that infantry column, he saw a small number of mounted riders move forward, one bearing the banner he'd recognized even at range, that of House Reubech. Even the flag brought up countless memories, although many of them were mixed. Anything that provided a stinging reminder of his old life in Gridamas was a little painful, especially when he saw it out here, in such a situation. Even so, that wasn't the most surprising thing he saw, which had to be…

As the group drew closer, their horses braying and kicking up lifeless dust and pebbles from the ground, his eyes locked on the woman leading them. Riding side-saddle, she had long, black hair and wore a cap with small cherubic wings to either side, as well as a shoulder-guard in the shape of a roaring lion. Her dress was like a fusion of fine society and battlefield commander, with visible armor plate alongside ruffles and finely-spun cloth, all in brown hues. There was absolutely no mistaking such a person, even though he hadn't seen her for quite a while.

One of the Gridamas' generals, and his childhood friend. The Lady Elaine Reubech. The bottom dropped out of his stomach for a moment, and he didn't know what to think, even as she dismounted in a single motion, motioning for her general staff and ensign to follow suit. Everyone around was silent for a few moments, and then she brushed herself off, and he saw her, surprisingly enough, smile. Even here, it looked natural, even like a sign of relief, although he couldn't imagine…

"Sir Leonhardt, I am glad to find you safe and sound." Her voice was like a melody, and he couldn't find a note of anger or even guarded feelings, in sharp contrast to most of her subordinates' attitudes. It caught him so by surprise that all he could do was fall back on old habits and take a small bow.

"Lady Elaine, uh…" No, he didn't have any words.

She seemed undaunted, and stepped forward, bringing them face to face and taking his hand with her own. "Please, no formalities; as I understand it you are no longer a serving officer." That was the gentlest way he had ever heard to refer to what had happened. "Besides, I believe I am done with that title. Please, good sir, _Elaine_ will do."

As though he could, or would, decline. "As you wish, my la- Elaine, then."

"Very good." She turned towards her staff, and the pickets, who had slowly formed around them, and were noticeably relaxing. "Return to your posts, as you all were, please. Colonel Lawford, order the column to halt, and fall out for rest." The officer in question gave her a dubious look, but not a man objected to leaving her to talk with a wanted fugitive, and they were quickly left to speak alone.

Things were already truly absurd from his perspective, so he might as well play along. Perhaps this was some sort of dream. Things _had_ seemed slightly dreamlike today… "Then, I hope I would not presume to ask you to call me Leonhardt in return?"

Elaine's smile only grew. "May I call you Leo instead?"

"… I wouldn't stop you," He replied, the stoic reply causing her to giggle a bit. She glanced over his shoulder, though, and he did likewise, to see figures approaching at a jog from the Rigulus side of the pass. "Ah. There they are."

Quicker than he'd expected, his friends were coming, alongside the troops who had alerted them to the situation from the nearest guardpost, three squads of Rigulus soldiers in green capes and feathered caps. Leading the way by quite a bit was the ever-quick Fyuria, silver knives drawn and gleaming in the daylight, with Luana only a few steps behind, and the others keeping pace as they could. Everyone looked suitably ready for a fight, although seeing Leo together with Elaine was understandably a bit surprising. He held up a hand to them.

The syrium skidded to a halt, eyes hard, and shot a glance towards Elaine, who looked over everyone with curiosity and caution but still not a trace of hostility. "Leo you are such a damned fool, why did you rush right into…" Fyuria had to pause to take breath, visibly winded from her run. They had come from some little distance away after the alert was raised. "Into that?!" She waved towards the body of men waiting before them.

"If I told you it was purely because I recognized the banners they were flying, would you think less of me?" Before he even finished his question she had replied by way of giving him a Look. "I thought so. Everyone, stand easy, please, I came under a flag of parlay, and-"

"Ah, pardon, Leo," Elaine took a bit of delight in saying, "But none of that is necessary at all. I am here to see you, after all."

The disgraced noble was stopped in his mental tracks for a few moments. "To see _me_?" He repeated calmly.

"Yes, of course." When that alone didn't seem sufficient as an explanation, she continued, "Word has gone through the ranks about what happened to you in the Frontier. So many tales, of course, and for a while, silence from Command. And then anybody who asked about it was threatened. Anybody, especially any officer, who questions the war itself, is threatened with your 'fate' to keep them in line." It had worked fairly well at keeping the troops obedient, if not orderly, but fear could only motivate a person so far sometimes.

This news was not surprising to Leonhardt, although it was clear things had gotten measurably worse _still_ since he'd _died_; he recalled hearing that from another Gridamas officer that they had encountered. "… So then why did you do something so foolish?"

Elaine laughed, and for a woman trained and ready to lead soldiers to their deaths, it was an almost gentle laugh. She acted every inch the noblewoman she was, and even though he was also a noble by birth, it was a stark contrast to Leo. "I could ask you the exact same question."

Well, yeah, if she wanted to bring up that business with the Dark Knight…

Her composure changed after a moment, her beautiful face darkening noticeably. "Anybody can see that Gridamas has lost its way." Her dark eyes flickered over towards Fyuria for a moment before focusing back on him. "As a member of House Reubech, I've done my best to stop it, but I lacked the strength to change the course of an entire country. At least, working from within… I heard about you and your cause. I had to come, and bring as many as I could... to fight alongside you."

"Against Gridamas?" Fyuria interjected, disbelief evident. She was still holding her knives, not quite ready to either put them down, or attack.

"No, _for_ Gridmas, for the first time in a while." Several of Elaine's aides nodded along, smiling, and the sentries who had been on edge seemed to relax a bit. On closer inspection, Leo spotted bits of kit missing from many of the soldiers; they weren't exactly up to dress code in some cases. Gear and packs weren't there, like an army on the march would normally have.

Leo hated to kill the mood but his mind drifted back to the days before his defection, and the fighting in the forests. "I'm uh, not much of a soldier any more, much less a general."

The lady of battle wasn't having any of that, shaking her head and causing well-kempt black hair to swirl around in the sunlight a bit. "No, Leo, you're a brilliant soldier now." After dealing with unpleasant conditions for quite some time now, it was something as simple as a heartfelt compliment that brought him up short, just as Luana had done to him earlier. "Fighting to protect the weak, no matter what the odds, offering up your heart to do what's right? That sounds like a soldier to me."

Fyuria holstered her knives but she leaned in to speak softly to Leo, eyes still narrowed. "Soldier or not, are you going to take her words at face value here?" As far as he could recall, the last time the syrium warrior had gotten this close to him, it had been to punch him. "They're even all still wearing the uniform of Gridamas."

After a moment of wondering exactly how to respond, Leo decided to go the practical route. "Were they really here to attack us, they wouldn't need to bother with trickery; they've have gone for it already."

"Hm." That wasn't very comforting to her. She withdrew, and addressed Elaine again. "Oi. You were our enemy yesterday, right? Then how can you expect us to believe you now?" Although his first instinct was to scoff, Leo realized how much he _wanted_ this all to be on the level… and that it could have clouded his judgment.

A silence rolled in over the entire gathering, but it was quick to break with one man clearing his throat. Winfield seemed to relish the way eyes turned to him. "Well, we can assume the Lady knew that her actions would be met with suspicion… but she bet it all on Leo giving her a chance. If it's all true, then none of these soldiers can go home again. The die's cast, so to speak."

Still troubled, Fyuria let out a sigh. "And if she's lying, we're letting a bunch of enemies into our midst."

"Eh? It sounds to me like you're just unhappy to get another rival." Winfield doubtless thought that his barb only sounded a _little_ smug. His smile contrasted dramatically with Fyuria's own annoyed face, which hardened up.

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I wonder too~" Luana slid through the rest of the group and arrived at the other side of Winfield, smiling very cheerfully. "Why don't you tell us what you mean?"

Before things turned to violence, Leo interjected, steering the conversation back on track. "Elaine, were you given a part in the upcoming Imperial offensive?" Messages and news were hard to get in the 'back country' of Rigulus, but enough had reached Leo to inform him that something was brewing behind Zelzagun Fortress.

She nodded. "Yes. When it became clear that we couldn't avoid fighting, I requested a specific posting. I was stationed with Largen at Mudus Gate."

Leo couldn't help his expression once again turning sour. "So Largen's at Mudus, huh…" He murmured, half to himself, adding another detail to his mental 'map' of the continent.

"No, not anymore. I'm almost certain he's headed towards Zelzagun." He looked up at her, but before he could voice a question, she elaborated. "I told him that _I_ was going there before I left. When I _don't_ arrive, he's sure to follow."

"Do you think it's likely he'll figure out what you did?" Vira-Lorr asked, not bothering to conceal her third eye anymore. Compared to everything else that was happening, few even gave her a glance for it.

"I'm almost certain of _that_, too." She glanced away. "We talked more than once about the troubles."

"Even so, Gridamas has put on a strong front so far. I'm just relieved to hear about these 'troubles', frankly." Winfield stretched a bit, grateful that attention had been wholly focused on the business at hand. "Hard to imagine they wouldn't notice all these troops go AWOL anyhow, for long… So, what you're getting at, Leo, is that Mudus Gate is now poorly guarded."

"And _we've_ just gotten a small army," Zerva put in, having observed until now. He was finally compelled to speak up, and unlike his sister, this turn of events seemed inspiring to him. "What intelligence we had on Mudus already made it the weak link in Gridamas' armor, but we've never even had the chance to strike it until now."

"Will these numbers be sufficient?" Dyshana, to Leo's own surprise, was pitching in this time instead of allowing the group to fend for itself and following along. "They have no siege equipment, either."

"Your friend makes a point," Elaine conceded, even as she couldn't help a glance as Dyshana's dress. "Ahem. So, assuming that you believe me, then there's two general options that we can take together."

Zerva offered the more conventional answer. "The first choice is for us to go north to get word to Rigulus about this, consolidate all of our allied forces, and then the road would take us to march on Zelzagun, in force this time. If we can take that out, then Mudus behind it would barely register as a problem."

"_Or_," Leo contemplated, "We send a message north, and then head _south_ ourselves, as fast as we can."

"Through the Kayastros Mountains, to Mudus," Winfield caught on with a grin. "Now there's a dashing plan. I don't think we could expect reinforcements, Leo. Moving a force larger than Elaine's through the passes would be…"

"Quite impossible," Elaine finished for him. "We didn't have an easy time of it, but we have enough provisions to make it back to Mudus… but not to lay a long siege. We'll need to launch a fast attack and claim the garrison stores for ourselves."

"_So_, we'll have no lines of support, limited supplies, and we're not even _completely_ sure that the second regiment _has_ moved out of the Mudus Gate," Vira-Lorr recapped, still sounding as cheerful as if she were planning a picnic. "_But_ on the other hand, if we win, we'll cut off reinforcements to Zelzagun while our allies launch the frontal attack."

Leo nodded to the fortune-teller. "More than that… without resupply, Zelzagun can't withstand a siege for long. We wouldn't have to storm it again at all; just wait for their regular wagon trains to stop coming, and we might force ten thousand regulars to retreat, _or_ surrender."

"This should also help prove that we're committed," Elaine added calmly. They wouldn't have to take her force back through allied territory at all; just go on the attack, striking a hopefully decisive blow. They were already in this fight, but actually attacking their former allies would convince even the syrium.

The one thing she did not allow herself to linger on for even a moment or two was the idea that she would personally _know_ many of the soldiers at Mudus Gate, and beyond, and that she was now going to have to fight them. She'd made her choice, but it was hard to even think about. She wondered how Leo managed it.

"I suppose we could even skip Mudus and hit Zelzagun from behind ourselves," Zerva brought up, and after a few looks from his friends, he quickly explained, "Not alone, of course. We wait there until our allies have begun the attack from the front, and then create a diversion in their rear. It could be quite effective…"

"Perhaps, but the safest path is north, to consolidate our forces rather than acting in haste," Fyuria responded to her brother, and he had to nod at that. Just when things seemed to Elaine to be locked in what-ifs, the syrium turned to Leo. "Well, what should we do?"

The textbook answer was staring him in the face; consolidate rather than split up, and hit the enemy with their one best shot with all their assets. It wouldn't need any risky operations or extended periods foraging in hostile history. It would take longer to win, but it might have been worth the effort.

On the other hand, Elaine had given them a surprising opportunity. In the history of Gridamas and Rigulus, the two competing powers had only ever used the mountains once to wage a war… it was practically unheard of. Probably for good reason… "We can't throw away this chance. We're in the right place at the right time… let's go for it."

There were some nods all around, but Fyuria could only frown. "Believe it or not, I don't enjoy playing the devil's advocate, but what if this Largen fellow hasn't left when we arrive?"

_Then we're all dead_. "Then we'll deal with that if it happens. We'll come up with _something_." _This story _can't_ end here; Dyshana probably won't bring me back if I mess it up again, but it's worth a shot_. "… Elaine, I'm sorry to make you march all the way back through this terrain."

She brushed that off with a wave of her gloved hand. "That will be the least of our concerns. Corporal, pass the word down the ranks." One of the staff officers saluted and ran off from this gathering, towards the waiting mass of troops. "We'll need a little time to get turned around and sorted out for the march… perhaps now would be a good time to rest. We've been going since sunrise."

Leo was feeling more than a little drained, as well. "Very well, then. When we take Mudus Gate, we'll be able to hold out against even a larger force, until our allies break through in the north and link up with us." He clapped his hands together. If nothing else, they'd be able to block the retreat if the Gridamas army withdrew in confusion. The rewards for completing this operation were too juicy to think about. "… I think we left a lot of our supplies behind when we ran in like this."

"It _sounds_ like the success of our attack is going to depend a great deal on Rigulus," Luana said even as the gathering split up and the rest of Leo's party went back to retrieve their belongings. She turned on her heel and grinned again, a more genuine smile that only Leo got to see. "I'll write a really strongly-worded letter to the King."

"Great." He returned the smile and let out a sigh when she left as well. He could have helped fetch and carry, but at the moment, he just wanted to find the nearest reasonably-flat rock and have a seat. He was just in the process of groaning, despite all his recent improvements in physical fitness, when Ellis plopped down beside him. Borgnine, as usual, wasn't far behind, towering over both of them and keeping a firm eye on the deserters wandering about around them. "Are you alright, Ellis?"

The elf girl fidgeted for a moment and then looked to him, pushing away vibrant pink hair from her eyes. "I was going to ask _you_ that, Leo."

Letting out a noise which reminded her of what a balloon sounded like when the air was slowly let out, Leo glanced up towards the sky. Almost cloudless. The bright, nearly-annoying sun was out slowly sliding out of the sky. Give it a few more hours and everything would be dark and quiet, and he could see the stars… "Fine. I'm alright. I'm doing better than I was."

Their run-in with that Dark Knight again had brought up some unpleasant memories, and he'd noticed Ellis had become even more talkative than usual for a time. It was good for her to approach him like this. "Good. We were worried."

"Yeah?" The spirit vessel glanced over towards Borgnine, who huffed a bit.

"Of course! Borgnine even told me. He's a little shy, though." Oh, so that explained why he looked like he didn't care about anything outside of his short, pink, cute charge. Whether or not she was telling the truth, though, it was appreciated. He certainly couldn't get anything out of the larva's expression.

"Well, worry no more. Things are starting to look up for us. We've got a chance to win now. We just have to see things through to the end, and push as hard as we can. It might be dangerous, but…"

"It's worth it!" Ellis' tone carried hints of understandably-youthful enthusiasm, but also determination and understanding. A human child who was as small as her wouldn't understand things like war, probably. She was older than that, and sharper than that. "You work better when you have a goal, huh?"

"Most people do," He acknowledged. The rock Leo had chosen for his seat wasn't comfortable, but he was so tired and numb it barely mattered. "So, now it's your turn. How are you doing with all of this?"

Rather than immediately responding or trying to reassure him, she took the question seriously, pausing for a moment. After some contemplation, Ellis decided on a good reply. "Things haven't been the same since we met. I know that I should have stayed home, but… People are dying. Not just my people or yours, everybody is."

"I've got to be honest with you, Ellis; there's going to be more of that coming."

"I know. But we can stop it. Together, we're strong enough to do it… if you're the one leading us. That's why I'll follow you, Leo. You know what we have to do. Even if you'll lose a fight, you won't stop going." Her face heated up just a bit and she kicked her feet out a few times. "I still don't want to go home. I want to follow you."

He grinned. "Good, I wasn't going to let my most valuable mage slip away that easily anyhow. If you weren't here to heal us things would get really grim." Maybe elves had more magic when they were young or something. Her talents were beyond what he'd ever heard of before, even in the old histories. Vira-Lorr talked about that on occasion, and always seemed taken aback whenever Ellis did something. Maybe she was just underestimating her.

She _did_ look too cute to be dangerous until she started in on the force waves.

Ellis hopped to her feet proudly. "You still look beat, though. Leave it all to me! I'll go help out and carry stuff. Borgnine! Let's go." His expression shifted just enough to where it was clear her guardian knew 'I' meant 'my servant', but as usual, he didn't even grumble or grouse at the manual labor. "I'll be back with the stuff to pitch a tent or something!"

Before he was done waving to her, Winfield approached. "Oi, boss! Fancy a bit more rock climbing today, to practice for the trip?"

"Gods, Winfield, I'd rather go back and find that bastard in black again to pick another fight." They'd lost him long enough to stop worrying about it, but it would still be a nagging concern, to have somebody so dangerous in their allies' areas… Oh well. Even he would hardly attack an entire army on his own. Or if he did, he'd stop being their problem. "Why couldn't I have just bought a horse in Rigulus or something."

"Come on, Milord, on your feet! A good general never asks his men to do anything _he_ wouldn't, right?" His grin was just as infectious as Ellis', but for different reasons.

"Good thing I've already died, then."

0-0

Joint patrols into the mountains to control the population of monsters had ceased centuries ago with escalating tensions, and since then the Kayastros had gotten very little traffic to disturb the development of some nasty beasts. Elaine readily talked with Leo about losing several soldiers on the way here, but they'd also blazed their own return trail. It would be relatively free of danger, aside from the stray monster who wandered into range of the column, but _they_ could be handled.

To his own personal relief, Elaine's soldiers did happen to have spare horses for all of his friends to ride. Borgnine's horse seemed particularly put-upon, but the Gridamas Army raised some fine beasts of burden for their work. Despite their somewhat ragged appearance, in fact, Elaine's deserters proved steady and able.

Tensions were still to be expected at first, but days of travel together in the virtual wilderness diffused them. Even Fyuria had restrained herself to some heated glares, and he definitely made a note to express his appreciation for that. A relationship of any kind could only survive when it was based on communication and feedback, after all.

Much of the trip was made much less arduous with Elaine herself there to talk, as well; she was only too happy to discuss anything with him. Even at her most energetic she had a refined elegance to her speech and mannerisms. It would almost lure him into taking her lightly, until the subject turned to politics or the military, and she let loose.

Even though at first, he'd politely requested that they avoid the topic of Gridamas for all the bad memories it evoked, that wasn't quite true. It wasn't the land itself, or the people, that soured his gut. Their conversation had drifted there a few times, and her honest manner compelled him to speak his mind. "I guess I'm just a bit nervous."

She had a good laugh at this. "I'd hope so! With respect, Leo. We're all wanted traitors now, or, more precisely, we _will_ be after we cross the Mudus River in force." The river formed part of the natural barrier of old Gridamas territory, and the fort there used to represent the edge of the Empire's control… before Zelzagun.

"Well, yes. I meant that it's… strange to meet somebody who shares some of my experiences." The last time he talked with anybody from Gridamas, for any length of time, had been… Gods. Was it really so long ago? He couldn't remember off the top of his head, everything had blurred together.

"Ah, but I was never on the Frontier. I've been in combat before, but never joined the frontlines. I can't imagine what it was like for you."

Her sympathetic tone was too much for Fyuria, who was just within earshot for a syrium; she rode forward and interrupted the two of them for a moment. "Not to trivialize what he's gone through, but if you want some horror stories about the war on the Frontier, just come to me or my brother. We'd be happy to tell you all about it." Leo did his best not to wince, but Elaine looked more sober than offended.

"… Yeah," Leo nodded. "They're leaders of the resistance against Gridamas, after all." Rather than being discouraged from asking, Elaine decided to talk to her directly, then. Fyuria was blunt and hostile, but ultimately told her what she wanted to hear about. It wasn't a happy story; the parts Leo caught from a distance turned his stomach.

The mountain path that Elaine had taken to get to Rigulus was often elevated above its surroundings, winding through old roads and around and around, making it somewhat difficult to navigate. Many branches led off into routes that had been abandoned many generations ago, and even a few old villages and the remains of settlements. There was little time to wonder at the decaying masonry, carved with old symbols, before moving on.

Leo wanted to stop and check them out, but in the middle of everything, it would have been monstrous to stop going and waste precious time on this. They had to keep advancing as quickly as they could… He started to make a note to himself to come visit after the war was over, but quickly abandoned that, as well.

Opposition never manifested as they cleared the pass and finally passed several abandoned military outposts as they descended. "We have taken care of the guards on our side of the path already," Elaine explained. "An alert won't be raised until after Mudus Gate has fallen." At worst, Largen would send word north and south before leaving, but by the nature of travel on Lucrellia, Gridamas wouldn't be able to act in time to guard against this attack.

"It's been at least a week since we made for the pass, Leo," Luana spoke up from behind, rapidly riding up alongside with practiced ease. "Our messages have certainly reached the King by now; he's probably mobilized everybody who can walk for Zelzagun." They'd also sent copies of the news to the Frontier itself, although it would take far longer to get back in contact with the Resistance. At the very least, it was out of their hands; they just had to keep moving forward into Gridamas itself, take the fort, and then hold out.

Leo automatically slowed the pace of his mount as he crested one final ridge and _finally_ had a view from on high. He could look out into the dry valley below, that slowly became more green as it merged with the horizon… Unmistakably Gridamas soil. The land of his birth.

The foothill town ahead could hardly compare to the capital city where he grew up, but it was still familiar to him somehow… perhaps he'd visited the north as a child. Maybe he was just imagining things. Not wanting to disrupt the formation of troops who marched just behind the leaders, he kicked his legs gently to get the horse going again, trotting forward.

"… How long has it been?" Elaine asked before he realized she was now alongside him. "Ah, I was just wondering. For me it's only been a week."

He shook his head. "Too long. I wish the homecoming was under better circumstances, of course. Although I am still grateful for the chance you've given us to put things right."

She accepted this with a nod. "Pray we're not too late. Hm." The general looked up into the sky, which had become thinly-painted with streaks of gray that hid the sun for short periods of time. It was already low in the sky. "I think we could make the town before nightfall and avail ourselves of some hospitality." Normally, 'enemy' territory wasn't the place to expect a warm welcome, but the villagers had no way to know of her defection yet. "The people had already offered us some of their stockpiles when we passed this way, but there should be enough for some good meals."

The path down from the mountains and into the foothills and valleys only got easier to traverse, and the troops made good time. Feelings were mixed, to say the least, but there were few grumbles and things were quiet as they spotted the village up ahead and townsfolk ran up to greet them.

Leo's party certainly got some looks, but nobody questioned them directly about it; he made sure to leave his sword with the baggage for tonight, just in case. Otherwise, they were safe.

In fact, he soon had more reason to worry about the town than his own flock, when he spotted Fyuria standing on the edge of the road, staring up at some of the buildings with a withdrawn expression. She heard him approach and spoke up quietly. "This is the first time I've ever been to Gridamas."

With her long lifespan, that was a bit surprising to him, although he now had just enough prudence to avoid saying that out loud. "Thatched roofs, stone walls, rows of crops out in the fields… it looks like the Frontier, or Rigulus for that matter." Fancy architecture was useless out here, and functional forms looked similar no matter what culture they came from. Most country people still subsisted on farming the land.

Fyuria was silent for several moments, and he realized her expression wasn't just withdrawn, it was sullen, and her eyes weren't really looking at the village anymore. "… I wonder how _they'd_ like it."

"Hm?"

"I wonder how _they'd_ like it if we just came in and burned this place to the ground."

… "What?"

"You heard me. You saw what happened at Mimas."

Mimas, that name… it was the town that had been in flames by the time Leo's party had arrived, and found a syrium girl fighting overwhelming odds in the ruins, fueled by rage. Gridamas had attacked and raised the settlement. "… I certainly did, but why would you even-"

"Nevermind." Cutting things off before they could go any further, Fyuria flipped some of her purple hair from her face and took her leave, heading into the town itself with her shoulders tensed. Her body language was sometimes hard to read, but this wasn't one of those times. "Look, forget it."

All he could do was watch her go and let out a sigh. Despite recent progress it was painfully clear that something inside of Fyuria had been hurt for a very long while… and even if they talked about it would take more than just time to heal such memories. Everybody in his group probably had things they'd rather forget, if they could.

Their only choice was to keep moving forward, however, and hope that when the smoke cleared, Lucrellia would be better off for it.

That was what he wrote in his journal before a fitful sleep, anyhow. The troops rose early, and by sunrise they were prepared to depart. Leo had never even learned the name of this foothill town; Elaine had certainly mentioned it at some point, but it hadn't stuck. Their minds were now on Mudus Gate.

The die was cast, and forces were in motion far past the troops they had now. If Rigulus was following the plan, they may have already started to move south to Zelzagun to launch the attack. They couldn't stop or fall back, only _advance_ to battle, and leave it to the Gods to decide.

The situation was familiar for him, but at least this time, he had a few friends along for the ride.


End file.
